Angel of Oops 2: Angels of the Discerning Son
by ShanaHollows
Summary: Natsu doesn't remember his time as an Angel. He loves his family and his job, but continues to be oblivious to the anxiety his son experiences. Lark is trying desperately to hold himself together, increasingly tortured by the secret he's had since he was a child. However, the secret neither of them know (and don't know they share) is about to be exposed. **DON'T OWN FAIRYTAIL**
1. Chapter 1

_A/N I just can't wait anymore! I'm too excited!_

 _There is no place to post a prologue without messing up chapter numbers, so this chapter is a bit longer than most will be._

 _The prologue will take you through the events leading up to the current story._

 _I've tried to make it as easy to follow as possible._

 _Immediately after, Chapter 1 gives us a glimpse of our current characters._

 _Please note: the spoiler that was posted at the end of Angel of Oops does not happen in Chapter 1 (the one between Lark and Wendy),_

 _but rest assured, that scene will come later in the story. :D_

 _I hope you'll enjoy this chapter_

 _Please remember to comment!_

 _Chapter 2 release: TBA_

 _~ShanaHollows~_

* * *

 ** _PROLOGUE: ANGEL OF OOPS 2_**

* * *

 _Almost 3 years after the events of Angel of Oops (pre-epilogue)…_

Mavis's tears flowed freely down her face as she smoothed the small boy's blonde hair out of his eyes. He was sleeping peacefully, and she cast an extra amount of _presence_ over him to ensure he'd stay that way for awhile.

"Do I really have to…?" her voice trailed off as she turned to her companion, her anguish evident in her facial features.

"You know you have to," Layla said softly, touching her shoulder, "There's no choice."

' _Because he will find us,'_ Mavis reminded herself.

The reminder did little to console her.

"I need a minute," Mavis told Layla.

Layla nodded, ushering the Heavenly escort back from Mavis and the small boy to give her room.

Mavis closed her eyes, tears gushing down her face, as she remembered the first time she'd seen him. She had had no idea she had a son. He was created without her permission and through no fault of her own. Still, she loved him with all of her heart. She didn't want to give him up…even if it really was the best option for him.

She leaned over, kissing his tiny forehead lightly, then lost herself as she burst out into tears. She picked the tiny boy up and hugged his body to her, her own body convulsing in sobs.

"Madam," a hulky Angel warned her, "We need to go. It's not safe."

She nodded, laying the tiny boy down again and waving her hand over his eyes.

"What are you doing?" Layla asked.

"Erasing his memories," Mavis whispered, "Of Heaven…of our time together…of me."

The little boy stirred slightly. She placed her hand on his forehead, comfort flowing through it into him.

"Be good, my little Larcade," her voice choked as she forced herself to get up and back away from him, "I will always love you."

Nodding to Layla, she walked away with her head held high. Her pace was brisk and she did not look back. She couldn't. She would lose her resolve and keep the baby with her regardless of how dangerous it was for him. Layla rushed to catch up to her friend, noticing with pain in her heart, the trail of tears that Mavis left behind her on the ground.

* * *

 _1 year later...around 4 years after the events of Angel of Oops_

Natsu rolled over, extending his arms around his wife's waist and pulling her close to him.

"Happy Anniversary, Baby," he whispered.

She stirred, leaning back into his arms. He took it as encouragement and continued administering kisses to her neck and ear area, letting his hands wander.

"What anniversary is it today?" she asked lazily, sucking in her breath as he pinched her a little too hard on her breast.

"Four years ago today," he grinned into her neck, letting his hold on her go slightly in order to allow her to turn onto her back so that she could face him, "was the day you agreed to be my permanent roommate."

"The day we moved in together," she giggled.

He grinned, "Yeah."

"You were so nervous," she remembered, picturing how he dropped the box of dishes he'd brought from his place. They'd all broken.

"But it only took me a day to realize you didn't want me to be anything but myself," he remembered, "Moving in together didn't mean we had to change…it just meant that I got to hold you in my arms every night," he kissed her neck, "And wake up with you every day."

She giggled, "One day, I'm going to find out how you keep tabs on this stuff."

He kissed the crook of her neck, moving over her body, "I will take the secret to my grave."

She returned his kiss, both of them feeling the heat between them…when there was a knock at the door.

"Momma!" a little voice called out.

"What is it, Aki?" Lucy called back.

Natsu continued kissing her neck lightly. Her arms encircled his back as he trailed kisses down her chest.

"I'm hungry!" Aki replied.

Natsu groaned as his wife pushed at him to get off of her.

"Tonight," she promised, kissing him softly, "Put some boxers on. I'm going to open the door."

He feigned a groan as he complied with her wishes, but the truth was, there was only one other female on Earthland that could successfully tear his attention from his beautiful wife…and that was his little Aki. He adored her and one of his favourite Saturday morning past-times was cuddling with his two best girls in bed.

Lucy opened the door and the 2, almost 3-year-old tumbled into the room, bounding immediately for the bed and her father's open arms. She settled into the crook of his arm, sighing happily.

"I thought my little Aki was hungry!" Natsu teased, kissing her forehead.

Lucy settled into the crook of his other arm.

"I am," Aki replied, "But I like cuddling too."

"I'll make pancakes in awhile," Lucy promised, "Let's just stay here…for a few minutes."

"When the baby comes, will we still cuddle like this?" Aki asked, reaching over and patting her mother's barely showing baby bulge. She spoke extremely well for an 'almost 3 year old', as Aki called herself. That was a product of Lucy's hard work with her.

"Definitely," Natsu promised, "No matter how many brothers and sisters you get, we will always love you. There will always be room to love all of you."

Aki looked up and down the Queen-sized bed, then up to her father with wide eyes, "We're gonna need a bigger bed!"

Natsu's cell began to ring on the night stand beside the bed. Natsu's furrowed his eyebrows, wondering who would be interrupting them at this time of the day. It was barely 7:00 in the morning.

He grabbed his cell, moving little Aki to his lap as Lucy sat up on the bed too.

"Dragneel!" he answered.

Lucy disentangled their daughter from Natsu's arms as his eyes grew wider. Something was wrong.

Natsu got up, heading for a fresh uniform that hung on their closet door.

"I'll be right there," he promised, hanging up and tossing the phone to the bed.

"What is it?" Lucy asked, Aki nestled in her arms.

"A fire," Natsu replied, doing up his shirt, "It's bad. They need every available officer."

Lucy kept Aki on the bed with her as Natsu raced to get dressed, tripping over Plue on his way through the door. Happy meowed in protest as Natsu tripped over him as well.

Lucy heard the door slam to the apartment as Natsu left. Both she and Aki moved to the window, watching him jump into a squad car that had just roared to the curb, lights and sirens on.

"Daddy is s'posed to be off today," Aki mumbled.

"Daddy has a very important job," Lucy said softly.

She looked in the direction of Magnolia, alarm coursing through her veins. She could see the black smoke billowing. A foreboding feeling washed over her as she prayed for the safety of her husband and everyone else involved.

* * *

The fire raged by the time the police cars screeched to a stop outside the Magnolia Orphanage. The flames at the front of the building were stretching 10 feet above the top floor now. The stench of the burning building wafted, forcing everyone to grab masks to wear.

"What have we got?" Sting yelled to the fire chief, who was just organizing hoses to combat the blaze. Some of the officers were already being assigned to help steady hoses. Others were busy pushing bystanders back from the scene, closing off the entire city block.

Sting, Gajeel, Natsu and Rogue joined the small group that was organizing the plan of attack on the fire. The director of the orphanage was crying hysterically and they were having trouble deciphering her words.

"Top two floors are completely gone! Bottom three floors are on fire and it's spreading. We could be looking at a total building collapse!" the fire chief, Rob Zeeself, yelled over the roar of the fire.

"What about the kids?" Rogue yelled.

"9 kids accounted for!" Rob informed him, "But there's still 3 in there!"

Natsu glanced over. He could see the Orphanage Caretaker screaming as two firemen held her back. She was trying to break free of their grasp, desperately screeching the names of her lost children. A second worker was bawling, completely broken.

"The babies are in there!" she screamed, "I have to go back for them! Let me GO!"

Natsu's eyes widened, glancing at the kids that had managed to get out of the building. They were crying hysterically, holding on to one another. One little girl with light blue hair caught his eye. She was Aki's age…she was just a baby herself. She stared at the fire, tears running down her face.

Without a second thought, he took off, crashing through the back door of the first floor where there was heavy smoke, but no fire…yet.

"NATSU!" Sting screamed, "IT'S TOO UNSTABLE!"

"Lucy's gonna kill him!" Gajeel yelled, taking off after Natsu, "And then Levy's gonna kill me for not stopping him!"

He grabbed a hose on the way, bursting through the door after Natsu.

"DAMN IT!" Sting yelled. He turned to the other firemen who were setting up hoses around the edges of the building, "We've got to keep the fire contained to where it is! Two of our men have gone after the children trapped in the building!"

"Leave it to us!" Rob saluted him, then directed his men as to where to aim their hoses.

Inside the building, Natsu wrapped the black and white scarf he'd received from his wife for Christmas around his mouth and crawled up the stairs to avoid the heavy smoke. He could hear the children screaming, but it seemed far away yet. They must be up on the 2nd or 3rd floor.

"KEEP SCREAMING!" he yelled, "My name is Officer Natsu Dragneel and I'm coming for you! But I need to know where you are!"

He could hear coughing. He knew he didn't have much time. He went up the second stair case.

"Here!" he heard a crying voice say.

Natsu double-timed it up the stairs, running instead of crawling.

"Where are you?" he yelled again.

He was in a bedroom, used for the orphaned children. He heard crying and waded through the smoke to get to the closet. It was empty.

"Make noise for me!" he yelled over the roar of the surrounding fire. The flames licked at his feet, "I have to find where you are!"

He heard thumping, following it at a break-neck pace. In the other bedroom, the closet door was closed, but Natsu could clearly hear the screaming and thumping from within it. He slammed the bedroom door closed behind him, trying to contain the flames to the other room.

He pulled the door open, sighing with relief as he realized all three children were together. A tiny blonde boy no older than three held two smaller babies close to his side. They were all crying.

"My name is Natsu," Natsu said, stooping down to the little boy's level, "We need to get out of here, okay? I have to carry the babies…can you be a big boy and follow me?"

The tiny boy nodded, tears streaming down his face.

Natsu handed him his wallet, which was connected to Natsu's belt by a chain, "Hold onto this, okay? Don't let go…no matter what."

Again, the tiny boy nodded and Natsu began to move, one baby clutched in each arm. He left the bedroom door, heading for the stairs again. Gajeel was at the top of the stairs now, spraying everything down with the fire hose.

"Gimme one of those kids!" he yelled, dropping the hose and grabbing the little girl.

"You're gonna scare them even more!" Natsu yelled back, "You're big and freakin' scary!"

Gajeel ignored him, covering the small girl with a blanket. He tossed another blanket for Natsu to cover his children with. The entire building groaned.

"We've gotta get out of here!" Gajeel yelled.

Natsu scooped the little boy up in his arms and all five of them started for the stairs. The babies were coughing and Natsu was starting to feel his lungs burn. They were about to enter the stair case when a section of the room above them collapsed, blocking their route.

"SHIT!" Gajeel glanced wildly for a window, "We're trapped! I can't get the hose out from underneath the debris!"

"The bedroom window!" Natsu yelled back. They went back into the bedroom, closing the door behind them. Gajeel put the little girl down long enough to stuff some clothes at the bottom of the door to prevent smoke seepage as best as he could. Another section of the ceiling caved into the bedroom, narrowly missing Natsu, who turned his back so that if it did hit, it would hit him and not the children he carried.

The children were screaming now as the fire started to spread in the bedroom.

"Do you trust me?" Gajeel asked, looking Natsu dead in the eye.

They'd been partners for a couple years now. Natsu trusted Gajeel with everything he had. They'd been in more than one situation where Gajeel beckoned Natsu to trust him. He couldn't always explain the sequence of events following, but Gajeel had never let Natsu down.

"Yeah! What are we going to do?" Natsu had to yell now in order to be heard over the fire.

The window was stuck, but they had no time to panic. Gajeel broke the bedroom window with his elbow, clearing the glass, then breaking the frame to make it large enough for them to escape. Natsu wondered briefly why Gajeel's arm wasn't bleeding, but there was no time for wondering. Natsu held the babies close to him as he joined Gajeel at the window.

"FOLLOW ME!" Gajeel screamed back to him. He grabbed the little girl, planting him firmly on his lap.

"What?"

"JUMP!" Gajeel repeated, bailing out of the three-story window with the baby girl safely tucked in his arms.

Natsu glanced out the window, watching as Gajeel and the baby girl fell into a gigantic pillow. Natsu was bewildered – how did they know to set up the pillow there? How did Gajeel _know_ _it would be there?_ Gajeel picked up the little girl and rolled off the pillow. Firefighters he didn't recognize ushered Gajeel and the baby girl back from the pillow, then turned to beckon Natsu.

"There's no time!" Gajeel screamed at him, "JUMP FOR FUCK'S SAKES!"

Natsu positioned himself with the two children on his lap.

"Scared!" the little boy buried his face in Natsu's chest.

"Hold onto me," Natsu told him, "I won't let go no matter what…I promise."

The little boy anchored his nails into Natsu's shoulders. He could feel leftover glass from the broken window cutting on his arms. It hurt like hell, but Natsu made good on his promise…he would not let go. He took a deep breath, both children screaming wildly.

He jumped.

Natsu landed in the pillow, safely bouncing in the middle, both children saddled to his sides. Quickly, he slid off the pillow, collapsing to the ground.

"Get up!" Gajeel ordered, "We have to run! This building is coming down!"

Natsu gathered up both children and ran after Gajeel. Debris started falling from the top. He vaguely noticed that the firefighters who set up the giant pillow did not follow them, but waved as Gajeel pushed him onward.

As they rounded the corner, they could see that police had herded the bystanders even further away, cordoning off the entire city block and then some. The orphanage director burst into tears as she realized Gajeel and Natsu had her 3 missing babies. They were covered in black from the smoke and they were coughing really hard.

"It's coming down!" someone screamed.

There was a rush of panic as a gigantic roar filled the air. The ground shook and all personnel, including firefighters and police, began to run from the building. No sooner had they crossed the street to safety when the entire building collapsed. The sound was deafening as debris sent a fiery wave out from the building. Natsu and Gajeel set the children down, shielding them with their bodies. As soon as the initial blast subsided, Natsu felt himself being herded down the block again, finally being allowed to rest at a park picnic table.

The director came to Natsu, her arms held open, "Lark! Haru! Aimi!"

Lark clung to Natsu, refusing to go to her. He was bawling his eyes out, terrified at his ordeal.

"It's okay," Natsu told her, "I'll keep holding them if they want to be with me."

She smiled gratefully, moving over to Gajeel and the little girl that Natsu assumed was Aimi. Aimi reached for Natsu too, so he took her, cradling all three on his lap as emergency personnel rushed to check them over.

Sting and Rogue hurried over.

"Natsu, you pig-headed buffoon! What the fuck were you trying to prove right then?" Sting bellowed. He stopped in his tracks, noting the three children curled onto Natsu's body.

Rogue placed a hand on his shoulder, "Looks like he was busy being a hero."

"All I could think about was Aki," Natsu coughed, "And how I'd feel if it was _her_ trapped in there."

"He and that big guy over there saved their lives," the woman from the orphanage cried, throwing herself into Sting's arms, "Thank you! Thank Mavis for your policemen…so brave."

Sting patted her back lightly as she bawled into his shoulder. The other 9 children from the orphanage were gathering around, followed by the other orphanage worker.

Gajeel was brushing the soot off of his shoulders, watching the three children cuddle with Natsu. His eyes fell on a small girl with light blue hair. Tears streamed down her face as she sat beside him, looking up into his big, dark eyes.

"Hi," Gajeel said gently.

She didn't say a word. She just crawled onto his lap, throwing her little arms around his neck. Gajeel reeled back at first, but then settled into her embrace.

Lucy threaded her way through the crowd, tears cascading down her face as she finally found her husband. He had an oxygen mask on his face, as did the three tiny faces around him. He was coughing and covered in black soot.

"Natsu, you idiot!" she scolded.

"That's what I said," Sting mused.

But Lucy and Natsu were in their own little world, as usual.

She ran to him, throwing her arms around Natsu and the three children.

"We're okay, Luce," Natsu promised.

She sat back on the ground, studying her husband, "I had this feeling. I knew something was going to happen. I couldn't ignore it."

"We're okay!" Natsu promised again as Lucy's eyes widened in alarm, seeing the blood on his arms seeping through his uniform shirt, "These are cuts from the glass on the window. I'm fine, Luce."

She threw herself back into their hug, unable to contain the tears that cascaded down her face.

The tiny girl opened her arms, beckoning Lucy to pick her up. She didn't hesitate, holding her close. She noted the way the two little boys clung to Natsu, both of them crying.

"We have to go to the hospital to be safe," Natsu told Lucy. He placed his hand on her tummy, "I hope we didn't stress you out too much.

"The baby is fine," Lucy promised him, laying her hand over his on top of her stomach, "Aki is with Levy. I had this feeling… She doesn't know yet that Gajeel followed you into that building. She might be really mad at me for leaving Aki with her. He's okay, right?"

He nodded, glancing over at the large man. Gajeel held a tiny girl in his massive arms, whispering to her gently. Both Lucy and Natsu gawked for a moment, knowing that although Gajeel liked children, most kids were terrified of him because he was so big.

She kissed Aimi's face, soothing away her tears and dirt.

"They're orphans, Luce," Natsu stated, "They can't be far from Aki's age…what if it had been Aki?"

Lark hung off of his neck, the tiny boy named Haru cradled in his other arm. Both boys exuded their fright through their eyes.

Lucy didn't need to ask what he was trying to get at. She nodded to him, understanding passing between them.

* * *

Two hours later, Natsu was discharged from the hospital. Remarkably, he had very little inhalation damage. His arms were bandaged and he'd required some stitches, but he felt so relieved that everyone was okay, he really didn't care. He and Lucy wandered down the hall to the Children's ward after a long discussion with the orphanage caretakers.

They knew now that Aimi and Haru were twins and they were almost 2. Their parents had died in a car accident and they had no other living relatives.

Lark was around 3 1/2 to 4. Both Natsu and Lucy had frowned when the orphanage lady, Giselle, had said 'around 3 1/2 to 4'. Didn't they know how old he was? Giselle had gone on to explain that nobody knew Lark's past. They didn't know where he came from, or who his parents were. The only thing from his history that was known for sure was that he'd shown up on the doorstep on a church in Onibus just over a year ago with a note that contained a single word – "Larcade". He was sleeping peacefully when the pastor arrived on the morning he was found.

Lark spent some time as a foster-child in the pastor's care before he was moved to another home…then another. In just over a year, Lark had had four foster homes, eventually ending up at the orphanage in Magnolia.

" _We want to adopt Lark and the twins," Natsu had said to Giselle._

" _The twins should not be a problem," Giselle had said softly, "We've been waiting for a good home that will take both of them. But maybe you should have a trial period with Lark first."_

" _Why?" Lucy had asked._

" _Larcade," Giselle had sighed, "is a bit different. Nobody really keeps him for long. Foster parents tend to think he's strange."_

" _Why?" Lucy had asked again. Her husband put a hand on her shoulder._

" _He has a very active imagination," Giselle had said simply, "You really should take him home for a few days first."_

" _I don't understand," Lucy had said slowly._

" _He has imaginary friends," Giselle had said finally, "He calls them 'Angels'….well, some of them anyway. He's always brought back to the orphanage after a few weeks. People get tired of hearing about it. Sometimes he can be oddly descriptive – like about people covered in blood that no one else can see. It's creepy. But he's a good boy…and I want him to have a chance with you. If you're willing to give him a trial, I hope he finds his forever home with you."_

 _Natsu had shaken his head, "He's a human being with thoughts and emotions. We'll adopt him and we'll take what comes with it. No matter what reason he has for an active imagination, he probably just needs to be loved. All kids need to be loved."_

They arrived in the Childrens' Unit, both of them still replaying the conversation silently in their heads. But there was no doubt in either of their minds. They wanted to adopt all three of the children.

The hospital staff had put Aimi and Haru in the same room so they'd be close together. Natsu and Lucy had a long cuddle session with the twins until finally, both nodded off to sleep.

Lark laid alone in the next room, tears dribbling down his cheek when he saw Natsu and Lucy at the door. They entered quietly, each taking a side of the bed and holding one of Lark's little hands. Lucy slid onto the bed completely, pulling Lark onto her body and holding him close. The little boy curled into her, fresh tears sliding down his face.

It was not a question anymore. Natsu and Lucy both knew.

"Lark," Lucy said gently, "Do you want to come home with us?"

Lark looked up at her, his dark eyes questioning her. He was still just a baby himself and there was no telling how much he actually understood.

"Mommy," he whispered, cuddling deeper into her.

A tear ran down Lucy's cheek as she exchanged glances with Natsu.

"Daddy," Lark whispered, reaching for Natsu.

Natsu sat down on the bed, pulling both his wife and Lark into a hug, "That's right, Lark. Mommy and Daddy."

It was state law that adoptions were not permanent overnight, but the next week, all three children went home with Natsu and Lucy for the official short-term. Aki was thrilled to meet her potential new siblings, forming an immediate bond with the younger girl, Aimi.

As Lucy's pregnancy progressed, it became obvious a larger house would be needed. They purchased a 6-bedroom house on the outskirts of town shortly after the new children arrived.

It was the third week when they started to notice the strange behaviour Giselle had warned them about. Lucy had the four children at the park. The girls played in the sandbox with Haru while Larcade sat on a bench by himself, staring at a spot in the corner of the park.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked him, plopping her pregnant body beside him, "Don't you want to play?"

"I'm watching the Angels," he replied.

"The Angels…" Lucy repeated.

"Don't you see them?" Lark asked, "That little girl has one watching her."

He pointed to a little girl playing with Aki in the sandbox, "And that man walking by the street," he turned pointing at a man who was walking away from the park.

Chills vibrated down Lucy's back as she regarded the tiny boy, only possibly in his fourth year. He spoke remarkably well for his age and seemed to have no problems comprehending things.

"Sweetheart," Lucy said slowly, "There's nobody there with those people."

Lark cocked his head, analyzing the woman who wanted to be his mother, but didn't respond.

Lucy studied his face, trying to decide if he was being serious or playing with her. His face was expressionless, his blonde hair, tousled all over the top of his head. It had to be his imagination.

"What do they look like?" she asked finally, "Are they beautiful? I would imagine Angels are very beautiful."

"The one in the sandbox is a beautiful woman," Lark told her, "She has really pretty blonde hair that goes all the way down her back. The guy has a boy Angel. He's…just like a guy 'cept he's not wearing much clothes."

"Do they have halos?" Lucy asked.

Lark shook his head, "Naw. Angels don't really wear those. They don't have wings either."

"Do you see Angels often?" Lucy asked.

He was cuddling into her stomach, drawing circles on the top of her baby bump. Lucy wondered if anyone really spent time with Lark…really listened to him. He was doting on the attention she was giving him. Maybe he wasn't _creepy_ , as Giselle had suggested. Maybe he just made stories up because he craved the attention.

He looked into her eyes and it struck her just how sweet and innocent he looked. Lark had a very calm personality. He flashed her a rare smile, like he was confiding a large secret to her. She felt herself melt.

"Every day," he told her, "I don't know why I can see them and no one else can. But there's all sorts of Angels out there. It makes me feel good to see them. I don't feel so alone."

She returned the smile as her heart broke again, hugging him close to her. The twins had settled into life at the Dragneel residence with no problems. Lark had taken a long time to warm up to Lucy and Natsu…like he expected them to take him back to the orphanage at any moment. But he was a sweet boy. He was kind and gentle with the younger kids…and he had such a way of melting Lucy's heart.

"Lark…do you want to live with me and Natsu forever?"

He paused, looking up at her with his big, dark eyes, and nodded, almost as if it were too good to hope it to be true. She held him into her side, kissing the top of his head.

"I want that too, Lark. I want you to be my little boy."

That evening, Lucy told Natsu almost word-for-word about the entire conversation, finishing with an affirmative, "I don't want to chance him going anywhere else, Natsu…I love him."

The next day, Natsu and Lucy visited the Orphanage to arrange for the permanent adoption of Lark and the twins.

* * *

 _5 years after Angel of Oops…the opening of Fairy Tail Earthland dinner (epilogue to Angel of Oops). Lark is now about 4 ½. The adults were in the main room, preparing the feast and toasting to the new business venture. The children were in the playroom._

Sora Redfox approached Lark, who was sitting in the corner by himself.

"Come and play with me!" she beckoned.

Lark flashed her a smile, his dark eyes lighting up, "I thought you were playing with Aimi and Aki."

She shrugged, "I was…but you're here all alone. Let's go see what Daisuke is doing."

Just as they went to join Daisuke, the adults called them for dinner. Lucy took the baby, Hansuke, from the daycare worker's arms, then reached for Lark's hand. The twins went with Natsu, but Lucy was going to bring Lark and Hansuke through the line to get their dinner.

Lark glanced over, noting the table of people sitting there, away from the main table. The therapy he'd been receiving argued with his eyes. He knew they were Angels, but logic and common sense told him they must be regular people.

He glanced up at the picture on the wall, noting the beautiful blue-haired woman in the picture was the woman sitting at the table, playing with the dark-haired man's fingers. Beside him was a blue-haired man with a red tattoo on his face. The woman beside the blue-haired woman had bright red hair.

"Mommy," Lark said thoughtfully, glancing over to the corner of the restaurant.

"What is it, Baby…would you like some spaghetti squash?" Lucy asked, balancing his plate in one hand. Hansuke took up her other arm.

"Aren't we going to ask those people to join us at the table?" Lark asked, pointing to the corner.

The four adults at the table stopped their conversation, eyeing the child with curiosity.

Lucy glanced to the empty corner, smiling at her little boy as she stooped to his eye level, "Lark, we talked about this. There's nobody in that corner. Please don't make up pretend people."

"But I'm not pretending!" he exclaimed, "I see two men and a lady with super-red hair and that lady in the picture!"

Lucy paused, frowning slightly.

After intensive therapy, Lark tried harder not to see the Angelic beings everywhere he looked. He really wanted to stay with Natsu and Lucy, so he'd stopped pointing them out. The therapist had even convinced him it was in his head. After awhile, he'd stopped seeing them as often. Or, perhaps he was getting better at ignoring them.

But the lady was in a painting, so she had to be real…right?

Lucy's gaze followed his little pointed finger to the picture hanging on the wall, her eyes widening in shock.

"Sweetheart," Lucy said softly, "That's just not possible. Miss Juvia in the picture passed away."

"But she's right there, Mommy!" Lark insisted, pointing back to the corner.

"Larcade, that's quite enough," Lucy said sternly, "Now…would you like some spaghetti squash?"

Lark didn't respond, not really wanting the lecture from his mother. She only used his full name when she meant business. As soon as she wasn't looking, he waved at the Angels, then followed his mother back to the table to enjoy the incredible food from 'Juvia's Kitchen'.

Lark glanced back at the table of Angels as his mother settled him into a chair, setting his food in front of him. His mouth watered. It smelled delicious. One of the Angels was missing, he noted. Forgetting about it for the moment, Lark dove into his food…starting with the spaghetti squash.

* * *

END OF PROLOGUE

* * *

 _Chapter ONE – 12 years later_

The Dragneel children sat outside in a circle with their parents under the magnolia tree in their yard, most of them with tears streaming down their faces.

Natsu held the box in his hands, his own tears dripping as he lowered it into the ground. The entire family of 10 were dead silent as 16-year-old Lark stooped to help Natsu cover the box with dirt. It would take a good few minutes. The hole was 6 feet deep.

Their task completed, father and son stood back. The rest of the family stood. The silence continued for a moment. 15-year-old Aki started sniffling louder, reaching into her pocket for a Kleenex. Lucy held the shoulders of the youngest children, 9-year-old Connor, and 7-year-old Brielle.

"I'd like to take a moment to say a few words," Natsu said solemnly, "Happy…I met you when you were just a kitten. You welcomed a total stranger into your home to have his wounds cleaned up and we've been best friends ever since. Thank you for being my best little buddy. I'm going to miss you."

His voice cracked at the end, making Lucy abandon her post with the two youngest to go hug her husband.

"Happy, you were the entire family's best friend," 14-year-old Aimi said, her voice choking with her unshed tears, "And I've never been in this home when you're not _somewhere_ nearby."

She started to full-out cry, her twin, Haru, taking her into his arms to comfort her.

Hansuke, who was 12 ½, offered Aimi a Kleenex. She took it, still too upset to say much.

Mieske had just turned 10. Yesterday when he came home, he'd found the family cat sitting in his spot on the porch like he always did. At first, he didn't think much of it, but then he realized Happy wasn't moving. At all. He couldn't bring himself to say anything at all, but laid a pretty flower on top of the freshly dug grave.

"Happy was a tiny little kitten, found at the back of an alley one lonely, rainy night," Lucy said softly, "I took him home and at first, Plue wasn't sure what to think."

She sighed softly at the memory. It was fuzzy now. It was so long ago. Plue had passed away 6 years ago, but most of the children were too young to really know or understand what happened. The whole family was attached to Happy.

"However, Plue and Happy grew close over the years," Lucy continued, "And Happy was there to welcome every last one of you into our family, starting with your father."

Tears dripped down her face as she realized just how long she'd had the beloved animal.

"He was 17," Aki smiled, "Which is rather old for a cat. Happy was correctly named…because he was the happiest cat I've ever known. He grew with the family and he will forever remain in our hearts."

"Kind of crazy he was older than all of us kids," Mieske commented. They all chuckled a bit.

The entire family fell silent.

"You didn't say anything, Lark," Natsu said softly. Of all the kids, Happy spent a lot of time with Lark. He always sought him out after school and curled up on his bed at night.

"What's to say," Lark grunted, whirling around on his heel, "He was just a stupid cat and now he's dead. Nothing _I_ say is going to change that."

He stomped off toward the house. The other children wailed, completely blind-sided by his cold comment.

"Lark!" Natsu yelled after him.

"I'll go," Lucy said, placing a hand on her husband's arm, "I think it's really bothering him. Let me talk to him."

Natsu nodded, kissing his wife before letting her go. He turned, now concentrating on his duty of calming the other children from Lark's thoughtless comment.

Lucy tapped on the door of Lark's bedroom once, then a second time a bit louder so that he'd hear her over the music he was playing on his guitar.

"Don't wanna talk, Mom!" Lark called.

She opened the door anyway. She didn't come in any further. She didn't talk. She just stood still, allowing a single tear to stream down her face as she looked at her son.

"I said I don't wanna talk!" he yelled.

She stood still, watching him take off his guitar, slamming it on the bed.

"Quit looking at me!" he screamed, "Just go away! I don't care! I don't care about the stupid cat. He was _just a cat!_ "

Lark's eyes welled with tears and an undignified sound escaped his throat. Lucy closed the door, crossed the room, and gathered her son into her arms just as the dam burst.

"It's okay to hurt," she told him, patting his back as he sobbed into her shoulder, "Happy was not 'just a cat'. We all know you don't really feel that way. But you don't have to bottle your feelings, Lark. We're family. And family loves each other through hard times. You don't have to be strong just because you're the oldest."

He nodded into her shoulder, his body convulsing with the tears he was trying not to shed.

"I love you, Lark," she said softly after a long moment.

He didn't reply to her comment. He never did when she told him she loved him.

"Thanks, Mom," he said finally.

Lucy took the cue, standing up and heading for the door, "I'm going to get lunch ready now. 20 minutes."

Lark nodded, putting his earphones on and picking up his electric guitar again. Lucy smiled slightly, then shut the door behind her as she left the room.

Lark couldn't bring himself to strum the guitar again. Happy's death meant a lot more to Lark than just losing the family pet. Anxiousness permeated through him.

Honestly, he didn't even understand why the loss hurt so bad. He knew better. He had watched the Angels come to get Happy. Not that he could admit that to anyone.

Lark had 7 siblings and 2 parents that cared about him…but they didn't understand what he did about life and death and he couldn't tell them without expecting 'the lecture'. And so, he felt the feeling of being utterly alone once again.

He put the guitar down and laid down on his bed, sighing deeply. He wondered where the Angels took Happy. More importantly, he wondered how long it would be until he saw him again.

As if on cue, Plue appeared on his bed, nuzzling Lark's arm. He pet the dog-like creature, who now looked more like a snowman than a dog, before nodding off into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Mirajane Strauss approached the Gates with a smile on her face. She was there to meet someone special. Normally, Heaven didn't greet pets into Heaven. They had their own designated Heaven. But this particular pet was not a normal cat. He was an _Exceed -_ an animal who was specifically sent to a particular family to be their comfort and support - and he'd been placed very purposely with his family in particular.

She scanned the crowd, her face lighting up as she spotted him.

"Happy!" she exclaimed, waving to him.

Happy the Exceed grinned ear-to-ear as he flew with his new wings toward Mira, tackling her for a hug.

"Didja miss me?" he exclaimed.

She nodded into his soft fur, "You know I did! Did you miss us?"

Happy looked into her eyes, his own eyes wide with excitement as he let out an emphatic, "Aye sir!"


	2. Chapter 2

**I DID IT! I WAITED A WHOLE WEEK BEFORE POSTING! (ARE YOU PROUD, GRIZ?)**

 **Lots of kids to remember...I realize this.I figure Natsu and Lucy have a lot of love to spread around and I agree with the general view that they would be amazing parents with ridiculous amounts of children...but hey - it's not the 2 dozen Natsu told Layla they were going to have. lol**

 **To help keep it straight, I'll make a bit of a list here.**

 **Natsu and Lucy's kids (Natsu and Lucy are now approaching 40)**

 ***Lark (Larcade) age 16 ...Aki age 15**

 ***Aimi age 14 ...*Haru age 14**

 **Hansuke age 12 1/2... Mieske age 10**

 **Connor age 9 ...Brielle age 7**

 *** = Adopted**

 **Rogue and Laki's kids**

 **Daisuke age 16**

 **Megumi 12**

 **Sting and Yukino's kids**

 **Ren 15**

 **Saichi 14**

 **Gajeel and Levy's kid**

 ***Sora 16**

 **Thanks for all the likes and follows! Thank you to the Guest that recommended adding pairings to make this story easier to find in the filters as well. I didn't even realize I hadn't done that for any of my stories. (Oops?) Interestingly, Larcade is such a new character, his name isn't even available to select for main character.**

 **Capturing his character will be difficult since there's so little known about him, but the main gist is, he's got a zen nature (except when he's destroying things - he can be spontaneous and reckless). He is known as the Hentai mage (which obviously I can't go too far with since he's only 16 in this story). Larcade's anger is driven by his hatred for Natsu because ultimately, Zeref loves Natsu more than his 'creation'.**

 **I'm really looking forward to learning more about Larcade in the manga. He's been out for a few chapters, but I can't see Hiro leaving him out - he's a great character and I'm really looking forward to seeing how his relationship develops with Natsu. For the purposes of this story, Larcade is a hormonal teenager who is greatly confused by his ability that no one else seems to have. He has no past before being adopted by Lucy and Natsu. Although he feels that Natsu and Lucy don't understand him...well, we'll just have to see how the story develops (wink)**

* * *

Lucy pulled up to the driveway, her heart immediately melting as she heard roars of laughter coming from the back yard. That could only mean one thing…Natsu was off work early and he was playing with their kids.

The laughter was music to her ears. It had been a very hard couple months as the family adjusted to life without their beloved kitty, Happy. Death was never easy to explain to children. Brielle played it out with her stuffed animals, where one of them would die and the others would be sad. Mieske often sat outside on the balcony where he'd found Happy. He never said anything, but Lucy knew he often wondered if he'd come home any earlier if he could have prevented the death. It was his younger brother, Connor, who had made Mieske see that nobody blamed him. Everyone else had tried, but it was Connor who sat him down and laid it on the line. Sometimes Connor blew Lucy away with his maturity.

She tiptoed around the side of the house, hoping to catch a sneak peak before they realized she was back. She _loved_ watching them play. Natsu was just a big kid at heart. Sometimes, she would join their games too. But today, their game was already in session...so she wouldn't interrupt.

Natsu had his fist to his lips, using his best announcer voice. The tell-tale shirts were on the ground, distributed at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd base. A fourth shirt lay on the ground where 'home base' was located. Mieske was at 3rd base, Hansuke at 2nd, and Haru at 1st.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Natsu announced, "This is the biggest moment of the game! Bases are loaded and the Dragneel kids _can still win this!_ It's all up to their star hitter – Brielle Dragneel."

Brielle waved at the pretend crowd, grinning ear-to-ear as she stepped up to the 'plate'.

"The pitcher ascends the mount!" Natsu announced as Aimi picked up the ball, "She looks left…she looks right!"

Aimi looked right first, making the other children giggle.

"Heeeeere comes the pitch!" Natsu said in an excited, yet hushed voice.

Aimi wound up, pitching the ball toward Brielle. Brielle swung and missed.

"Don't forget the rule, Brielle!" Natsu called, "Umpire has missed the ball! Hit it with the bat! Hit it with the bat!"

Connor, who was the umpire, scrambled for the ball as Brielle lowered the bat, bumping it lightly on the ball.

"OH! The Umpire is not chasing the ball! Something HUGE is happening here, folks! The Umpire has switched teams! The Umpire has switched teams!" Natsu yelled, "He's a Dragneel in disguise! What's this? He's throwing the ball to the bushes! It's a touchdown! It's a touchdown!"

Connor chucked the ball to the nearest bush, grinning wildly.

Lucy wrinkled her nose. A touchdown? Did Natsu know anything at all about baseball? Whatever…this was too adorable to watch.

"RUN BRIELLE! RUN!" Natsu yelled.

All the kids began to run. The three on the bases all made their way around to score at home. Brielle ran all the way around, the other kids cheering loudly as she crossed the home plate.

"THE DRAGNEELS SCORED THE WINNING GOAL!" Natsu cheered.

Lucy stepped into view. The children's squeals of excitement from the game turned into, "MOM'S HOME!" She found herself instantly swallowed up in her children's arms, all happy to see her.

"That was quite the baseball game!" she remarked to Natsu.

He grinned, playfully smooching her cheek, "What are you talking about? We were playing hockey!"

She punched his shoulder lightly, giggling, "Okay Dragneels! Let's go inside and wash up for the victory supper!"

The kids cheered, filing into the house one by one.

"I love it when you play with them," Lucy told her husband, stealing another kiss.

He grinned, "I love playing with them! In fact, I can safely say there's only _one_ person I like playing with more!"

Lucy smacked his arm playfully, "You're bad!"

"Nope!" he denied, "I'm a man who is in love with his family and his beautiful wife!"

The smell of the stir-fry that Aki was making wafted into their noses as they entered the house. She looked up, a smile on her pretty face, as she recognized both parents were home. Her waist-length pink hair was pulled into a ponytail so that she could see as she cooked.

"Smells great, Aki!" Lucy called out, putting her jacket on its' hook, then making her way to the kitchen to help set the table.

"Thanks, Mom!" Aki replied, adding the fried noodles to the mixture in the wok, "I'm almost ready to serve. The other kids have done their chores…except Lark."

Lucy frowned, "And where is Lark?"

Aki shook her head, confirming what Lucy already suspected…Lark wasn't home yet...and _that_ was why Natsu was home early.

* * *

"So…Friday night then?" Lark asked, running his fingers through the brunette's hair. His other arm slinked around her shoulders as he leaned in close to her.

They were seated at a small café. At the table across from them, Daisuke heaved out a sigh, shaking his head as he caught Sora's eye. Lark was two seconds away from closing yet another date.

The brunette giggled, "Okay! 6:00 at the theatre?"

Lark gave her his best smile, removing his arm, "It's a date."

The brunette giggled again as Lark returned to his own table, maintaining eye contact with her until he'd taken his seat beside Daisuke.

The brunette's friends squealed with delight, then rushed her for details.

Sora rolled her eyes.

"Do you even _like_ her?" Daisuke asked, taking a long sip of his milkshake, "I mean, she's 2 years younger than you. Do you even know her name?"

"Michelle," Lark defended himself.

"Her name is Kacia," Sora moaned, dramatically bumping her blue-haired head onto the table, "Seriously, Lark…you've got a problem. We're going to have no choice but to have an intervention for you."

"I see no harm in dating!" Lark huffed, taking a drink from his milkshake, "Girls like me. I'd be doing them a dis-service if I didn't date them."

"Maybe you should try finding one you actually like and date her exclusively," Daisuke muttered, "Then they won't come crying to us the following week when you never call them again."

Lark shot him a look of mock-shock, "Where's the fun in that?"

"Either way," Sora reminded him, "You can't date her Friday night. You already have plans."

"No, I don't!" Lark denied.

"You do," Daisuke told him, "Family weekend, remember? You're going to Akane with the whole family."

Lark's face fell. He'd forgotten. His parents were very big on family quality time.

Daisuke and Sora glanced at each other, already knowing Lark was planning in his head how he could get out of the family vacation. In recent months, Lark had become impossibly selfish and reckless. He rarely agreed to anything Natsu and Lucy had planned for the family unless they made him do it. There'd been more than a few times lately where he'd left the babysitting of the younger Dragneels to his younger sister, Aki. He often blew curfews to do his own thing, whether it was a date with some girl he had no intention of ever seeing again, or doing something like skateboarding the boardwalk.

However, there was really no point in arguing with him. Lark was stubborn. Both Daisuke and Sora had tried.

"It won't be so bad," Sora said, trying to offer Lark a smile, "Akane Beach is beautiful."

"Probably some good-looking girls there too," Daisuke added, "And it's been awhile since you've done something fun with your family."

"Neither of you have 7 siblings," Lark muttered, "They're a pain in the ass. I really don't want to go."

"You'll disappoint Brielle," Sora said softly.

Lark sighed. He hated it when Sora played the Brielle card, knowing she was his weakness. His 7-year-old sister had Lark wrapped around her pinky finger. Maybe it was because he was the only sibling who had been old enough to help take care of her as a baby. He had a special bond with her and he didn't want to disappoint her.

Sora smiled her encouragement to Lark, knowing she'd struck a chord.

"Fine," he grunted, running a hand through his blonde locks. He stood up, putting his empty milkshake dish at the edge of the table for the waitress, "You suck, Sora."

She nodded her acknowledgement as he spun on his head, approaching Kenzie's table so that he could break their date. Kenzie, right? No…it was Michelle. Lark heard himself sigh out loud.

Whatever her name, she _probably_ wouldn't be too happy.

* * *

"Romeo!" Rogue warned as he walked through the coffee room, eyeing the younger man with slight amusement, "If you ever want to leave the precinct tonight, you need to stop with the coffee breaks!"

Romeo sighed heavily. His partner, Natsu, had left earlier due to a family emergency, leaving him with all the paperwork.

"I should just let my dad handle it," he grunted, "That's pretty much all he does all day anyway."

Rogue shook his head, trying to hide his smirk, "Your dad has put 40 years into the force and is now getting ready for retirement! He's entitled to his desk job. You, on the other hand, have to prove yourself."

"I was supposed to hook up with Chelia tonight," Romeo pouted.

"Welcome to life as a cop!" Rogue quipped. He picked up the coffee mug in front of Romeo and poured it down the sink, ignoring the despairing cry from his colleague.

Rogue heard his cell phone go off, picking it up immediately. He spoke in a low voice for a few minutes before hanging up and glancing over at Romeo one last time before departing.

"I have something to deal with. Get that paperwork done, kid," he advised, "Because Sting and Yukino are having another one of their 'issues' and once I finish telling Sting this news, he's going to be looking for someone to take it out on."

Romeo sighed as Rogue left the lunch room, knowing Rogue was mostly teasing him. Although Chief Sting Eucliffe and his wife, Officer Yukino Eucliffe, fought often, Sting was too laid back to actually take it out on anyone. Romeo loved his job, but he preferred to be out where the action was. Paperwork was for the birds.

He knocked back his coffee cup, capturing the last precious drops that remained in the empty mug, then ventured back to his desk to begin his long, boring task.

* * *

Lucy was mulling over the papers in front of her. She sat at her desk with the latest case file. It looked like things were well in hand now. Fairy Tail's newest case involved a young couple. She had a session tomorrow the young man and wanted to be ready.

"You okay, baby?" Natsu asked, knocking lightly at her office door. He brought her a cup of tea, placing it to the side of her desk.

Lucy sighed, "Yeah. I'm almost done for the moment. Therapy session tomorrow."

Natsu nodded. His wife was a Fairy Tail counsellor, along with Cana and Lisanna, in addition to writing a column for the newspaper and creating resource material for the clients. She often came home for supper, then reviewed her clients for the next day.

She glanced back at him, smiling gently, "Where are the kids?"

"Brielle's sleeping," Natsu replied, "Mieske and Connor are in their room having quiet time before bed. Haru is taking a shower. Aimi is reading a book and Aki is watching a movie in her room."

"And Lark's not home yet?" Lucy guessed.

Natsu nodded, a dark shadow crossing his face.

"Don't be too hard on him," Lucy stood up from her desk, crossing the room to her husband and settling into his arms, "Lark's a good kid. He's growing up. He doesn't want to spend all his time here with his younger siblings."

"He's reckless," Natsu muttered, "And he's been getting into a lot of trouble lately."

It was true. In addition to being suspended for a week for blowing up the science lab, Lark had also been skateboarding in restricted areas, skipping school, and disappearing without advising his parents where he was in recent weeks. He had a cell phone, but rarely bothered answering texts requesting his whereabouts. Natsu and Lucy had been at their wits' end more than once lately.

"It's a phase. Reminds me of a pink-haired rookie cop I once knew," she chided, kissing his lips gently.

"I was never reckless!" Natsu denied.

"Really!" Lucy exclaimed, "Maybe I should call Gajeel and ask him to tell me about your driving lessons again!"

He grinned down at her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly, "I love you, Luce."

"I love you too," she replied, kissing his lips again.

"Mommmm!" a voice outside in the hall yelled, "I forgot I need a costume for school tomorrow!"

Natsu and Lucy both sighed heavily. It would be just like Mieske to remember that now…an hour before bedtime. It was a good thing she'd been through most of her case review. It seemed she would not get any more work in for the rest of the night.

* * *

"She didn't have to hit me. That's all I'm saying," Lark muttered, rubbing his sore cheek.

 _Kacia_ had _not_ taken the date-break well.

"Kinda your fault," Daisuke laughed, "You probably shouldn't have told her you have an MMA match that night."

"Better than telling her I have a date with 7 siblings and my parents," Lark shot back.

Sora snorted, "You didn't have to go that far, Lark. You could've just asked for another day."

They were walking home now. Darkness had started to fall. The boys were walking Sora home first, since her parents, Gajeel and Levy, were rather strict about her being out alone after dark.

"Just shut the hell up about it around my old man," Daisuke warned, "Knowing our parents, they'll get talking and Natsu will end up inviting us too."

Sora laughed out loud, "That would probably be a good weekend – you should do it, Lark!"

Lark shot him a mischievous glance. Daisuke whacked his shoulder playfully.

"Of course, I could also mention it to Gajeel and Levy," Lark teased.

Sora laughed again. Honestly, she would _love_ to spend the weekend at Akane Beach with Lark…but she could never tell him that.

Gajeel was sitting out on the steps as they neared the house. He glanced at his watch pointedly as they approached the house.

"5 minutes early, sir!" Daisuke saluted, "She's home safe and sound as promised."

"Nothing like leaving it to the last minute," Gajeel grunted, eyeing the two boys, then his precious daughter, "Did you have a good day, baby girl?"

"Yes, Daddy," she grinned, kissing his cheek as she passed him on the stairs to go in the house, "Night guys!"

Gajeel turned, giving a half-wave to the boys, maintaining eye contact with Lark for a few moments, then followed her inside. Lark watched the door closed, wondering if it had ever occurred to Sora that her parents weren't normal. It was very obvious to Lark. But then, Daisuke hadn't noticed either. Lark was the only one who could see their 'glow'.

The boys threw down their long boards, weaving through the sparse foot traffic on the sidewalks of Magnolia, as they ventured toward their own houses.

"Watch where you're going!" an old man yelled at Lark when he came a little too close.

Lark waved as Daisuke yelled out a "Sorry, sir!" then split off in the opposite direction toward their houses.

"Should I come in and tell Rogue and Laki all about Akane?" Lark called back to Daisuke, who was mere feet behind him.

"Do it and I'll tell Natsu and Lucy about the fire alarm you pulled at the mall!" Daisuke yelled back, ducking under a branch of a tree they were whizzing by.

"You just finished telling me how awesome Akane Beach is!" Lark yelled after him, "We'd have a great time!"

Daisuke waved his hand in dismissal as he turned the next corner and disappeared. Lark laughed to himself. He already knew that Natsu and Rogue had had the discussion. Rogue was planning to tell his family about their impromptu vacation tonight.

* * *

"Sting."

Rogue opened the door to Sting's office, obviously interrupting an intimate kiss between Sting and his wife, Yukino. They blushed as they pulled apart.

"Haven't you figured out how to knock yet?" Sting demanded.

Rogue chuckled, "I take it you made up again. Did you apologize, Sting? Or did she finally come to her senses?"

Yukino gave Sting a backward glance as she removed herself from his lap, "Talking about our lovers spats at work again, _dear?"_

Sting sighed as she disappeared out the door, closing it behind her, "Aaaaaand I'm back in the dog house. Thanks for that…asshole."

"Then you'll be thrilled to know that you're staying late tonight," Rogue quipped.

Sting glanced at Rogue expectantly, waiting to hear his news.

"Crocus sent back their review of the drug bust last week," Rogue told Sting, laying some papers in front of him, "They're faxing their questions. If you intend to take the weekend off, you'd better review it now."

"Okay," Sting sighed, "Guess I'm reading paperwork tonight instead of going home to make up with Yukino."

"You'll make up in the morning, Chief!" Rogue slapped his shoulder playfully, "Plus you'll have all weekend. It's not like your fights last more than a day anyway, but if you want, I'll grab a 6-pack and tell Laki I'll be late tonight. Romeo's staying late to do paperwork too. Maybe we'll throw a beer his way. He's already stood his date up."

Sting snickered, thinking about the irony of Romeo being the same age he and Rogue had been when they joined the Magnolia Police Department. Up until about 16 years ago, they'd been Magnolia's most eligible bachelors. However, Yukino and Laki had come into their lives out of nowhere one year. Suddenly, neither were married to their work anymore and 'a night out' meant bringing their kids over to each others' houses to hang out while the parents talked.

Unless a paperwork night came up.

It seemed the only beer time they got these days happened when they stayed late at work, doing paper work there hadn't been a chance to do during the day or familiarizing themselves with the witnesses that would be charged to Fairy Tail's care so that Magnolia police could back them up as needed.. Not that either Sting or Rogue actually minded. They both loved their wives and their children immensely. But that didn't mean that they didn't relish their man-nights too.

"Yeah," Sting agreed, taking $20 out of his wallet to contribute to the beer, "That 6-pack sounds like a good plan to me."

* * *

Lark walked down the street alone, taking in the sights around him. He wasn't really ready to go home yet. He paused to get himself a coffee from the local diner, then continued walking a bit.

He watched a young lady hurrying down the street, a young girl in tow behind her. Behind them, a tall man followed them in the shadows. Lark wasn't concerned about it after he took a closer look. The man was an Angel. He was protecting the young mother as she made her way home before it got really dark.

Across the street, an older man stopped to buy some flowers from the street vendor. He held the flowers close to him as he wandered around the corner, presenting them to an older lady. Lark smiled at the exchange as she gave him a hug, but soon his smile turned into a frown as he recognized another Angel nearby. One or both of the older couple would die tonight, he realized. The tell-tale white dress indicated clearly that the Angel following them was an Angel of Death.

Lark had learned from observation about the different types of Angels that frequented Earthland.

Guardian Angels made no effort to hide from his line of vision, although he was sure they knew he could see them. They followed their human counterparts, sometimes visibly as their best friend, and other times in the shadows as protectors. They often wore human clothes, but Lark could see a 'glow' around them. He'd stopped trying to understand why he could see this 'glow'. It made no sense no matter how he tried to come up with an explanation.

Angels of Death usually showed up suddenly. They wore the white dress garbs and golden sandals on their feet. That's how he knew one or both of the older couple was about to die.

Sure enough, the man grabbed his left arm suddenly, panting heavily. The older woman screamed, trying to catch him as he fell. Around them, people were getting out their cellphones to call 911.

Lark turned away at first. He didn't want to watch. He'd seen many people pass to the other side. It wasn't as scary as humans thought it would be. Angels were kind and gentle. The man would be fine.

But as he listened to the woman's cries of despair, he knew that she wouldn't be okay…and he couldn't ignore it. Lark put his skateboard against a tree and kneeled beside the woman. Onlookers stilled their cries of panic to watch him as he drew her into a hug.

"He's going to be okay," Lark whispered into her ear, "The Angel has come for him, but he'll be at peace. Tell him you love him. Tell him you'll be okay and you'll be waiting for the day when you can be together again. Make it okay for him to go. You're going to be okay too. There is life after death...you'll see him again."

She looked up at him with large eyes. He smiled his encouragement as she leaned down to the man's ear, whispering to him.

Lark backed out of the crowd, grabbing his board. The Angel of Death who had come for the man nodded to him, then proceeded to do his job.

Strolling down the street, he thought about the Angels he'd seen from time to time at Natsu's police station and Lucy's work at Fairy Tail. _Those_ Angels hid from Lark. He rarely saw them, and if he did, it was usually just a quick glance. He knew they were protectors of some kind and that they often helped keep certain individuals out of the way of danger. Somehow, it was comforting since the two people who had named themselves as Lark's parents were both in somewhat dangerous lines of work. Whether he actually caught glimpses of the Angels of Fairy Tail or not, Lark knew they were there. He could often see the traces of the 'glow' they left behind.

He sighed, checking his cell phone for the current time. 9:15 pm. Aki had been sending messages after school, but there hadn't been anything for hours. He supposed he'd better go home. Natsu and Lucy would not go to bed until he was back.

In the distance, he could hear the wails of the ambulance that was coming for the man who'd just had a heart attack in the street. He offered a silent prayer for the lady, watching the pure white soul ascend to the Heavens, then continued on his way.

* * *

Romeo approached the lunch room, curious at the boisterous laughing coming from within.

"Chief?" he asked, knocking lightly at the door, "I'm done all my paperwork. I think I can go home now if there's nothing else."

Sting was sitting at the table with his feet on top of it. Rogue was at the counter, pouring himself another beer. Papers were strewn all over the tabletop. Romeo quietly wondered if they'd gotten any work done at all since it was _quite_ obvious both of them were really drunk.

"Romeo!" Rogue greeted him, ushering him inside and pushing him down onto the couch, "We're just discussing what Sting has to do to make up with Yukino. You're just in time – we're opening the second box of beer."

"Actually," Romeo said, trying to get up, "I'm going to go. Chelia has been waiting for me…"

"Seriously, man…" Rogue drawled, "Sting needs all the help he can get…"

"Shut the hell up, Rogue! If you didn't open your yap, I'd be at home in bed with my wife right now!" Sting snapped.

"Maybe if you'd stop doing stupid shit, that'd be true!" Rogue snapped back.

"Yuki knows that I talk to you! She's being ridiculous!" Sting yelled.

"So stop talking to me about your personal shit!" Rogue yelled back.

"You know I can't do that!" Sting took another swig of his beer, "You're like a brother to me."

"I can't argue with that," Rogue sighed, "Without my advice, you'd have been divorced 10 years ago."

Sting shot Rogue a glare that could melt ice.

Romeo went slightly red, a little horrified at being caught in the middle of this conversation.

"So, who's Chelia?" Sting asked with a raised eyebrow, clearly changing the subject.

"She's new to Magnolia," Romeo said, blushing slightly, "She just moved from Margaret Town."

"Nice!" Rogue praised him, helping him open his beer since apparently Romeo was serious about not opening it since he had to meet 'Chelia'.

"And how long have you known her?" Sting pressed.

Romeo reluctantly took a sip of his beer, "Only a few months."

"So you're serious, then?" Rogue asked.

Romeo stood up, putting the barely touched beer on the table, "That…is outside of work conversation and a conversation I'd rather be having with _Chelia."_

Rogue and Sting exchanged glances as Rogue chucked his hands in the air, a gesture meant to tell Sting - _See? Personal shit - NOT talked about at work!_

"I'll see you tomorrow," Romeo waved and disappeared out the door.

* * *

The house was somewhat dark when Lark finally rounded the corner to it, but he held no illusions. His parents would both be waiting for him in the kitchen. He hadn't told Sora or Daisuke that he was supposed to be home to help babysit today. They would have refused to get a milkshake with him.

"Hello parental units," he greeted as he shut the door behind him, kicking off his shoes.

He hadn't even turned around yet, but he could feel their stares into his back.

"Lark," Lucy began slowly, "You're late again."

He turned, flashing his red cheek to his mother immediately. The sympathy card would go a long way about now. If he could keep Lucy on his side, Natsu would go easy on him.

"What happened!" Lucy exclaimed, running to him immediately.

"It's okay," Lark sighed, "It's just a slap mark. I came across a girl having a fight with her boyfriend. He went to slap her and I stopped him."

Natsu eyed his son as Lucy examined Lark closely, "Well, it appears to be okay. C'mon. We saved supper for you."

"You going to tell us what really happened?" Natsu asked, his voice devoid of humour. That was unusual for Natsu. He preferred to deal with everything lightly since his job demanded him to be serious at times.

Lark smiled at him as Lucy grabbed an ice pack, applying it to his cheek. Natsu shook his head at Lucy. She lowered the ice pack with a frown on her face, but backed away from Lark so Natsu could talk to him.

"Lark, you blew off babysitting," Natsu started, "Aki had all 6 of the kids on her own for 2 hours today."

"I forgot," Lark stated, shrugging his shoulders, "I went for a milkshake with Sora and Daisuke."

Natsu maintained eye contact with him, shaking his head slightly, "For 6 hours? Assuming you left school at 3:30, of course."

"I left at 3:30," Lark confirmed, "And we went for a milkshake, then skateboarded at the park for awhile. It's no big deal."

"Aki needed your help," Natsu told him, "The other kids, Brielle included, did all their chores and had their homework done and Aki had them do it _by herself_. You were supposed to be here to help her - _that_ was the agreement when you asked for a larger allowance."

Lark shrugged again, attempting to go around Lucy so he could retreat to his room, "I have things to do too, you know. I'm not your slave."

Natsu blocked his path, anger showing in his eyes, "Unacceptable, Lark! And it's not just today! I talked to the school the other day and you skipped a few days last week… _after_ being suspended for a week for blowing up the Science lab."

"That wasn't my fault!" Lark half-shouted.

"The teacher told you specifically _not to mix those chemicals!"_ Natsu told him, his voice rising a bit as well, "And suddenly you think you're this master liar! And you've been pulling stupid stunts like not showing up today to help Aki. You need to wake up, Lark! Because we will not tolerate this behaviour!"

"I think –"Lucy intervened, getting between her two men and smiling radiantly to try to break the tension, "-what we mean to say here is that we don't know what's bothering you, Lark. You've never acted out like this before. What's going on with you?"

Lark was still making angry eyes at Natsu, but Natsu's expression had softened slightly. Nobody on Earthland could calm him like Lucy could. It was odd, but she had that effect on Lark too. In a motherly way, of course. He loved Lucy like he loved no one else on Earthland.

She turned to Lark, her eyes reflecting her concern, "Please Lark. Talk to us. Tell us what's going on. Are you still upset about Happy?"

He lowered his head, contemplating the myriad of thoughts in his head. It had been weeks since Happy passed away. He missed the blue fur ball. It was far from the only reason he was acting out, but it was one that his parents would buy. He nodded slowly.

"I would really like to see more effort out of you," Lucy said softly, squeezing Lark's hand, "We love you and we miss Happy too. We'll get through this as a family. I think it's good that we're going away this weekend. It'll be a good break for the whole family."

Lark nodded again.

Lucy moved out of the way to let Lark pass.

"Just try to be more considerate," she said as she put his food in the microwave.

"Okay," Lark said finally, glancing at Natsu. All of the anger he'd seen in Natsu's eyes a few minutes ago was gone now. Lark was banking on that. Lucy could pretty much diffuse Natsu's worst moods. Not that he got mad often.

"You still have to do your chores before bed," Natsu reminded him, reaching for Lucy's outstretched hand. She led him into the living room where they would watch TV together until bedtime, "and your part of the babysitting money will go to Aki for today."

Lark sighed. He was counting on that money for his next date.

Lark took the time to change out the garbages in both bathrooms and the kitchen, putting them out into the garage, then put away the contents of the dishwasher. His chores done, he could now wait for the microwave to beep and make his hasty retreat to his bedroom before Natsu and Lucy decided to check on him. He took his stir-fry to his room, placing it on the night stand before flopping onto his bed.

"Plue!" he called into his pillow.

Seconds later, he felt the familiar weight of Plue nestling beside him on the pillow. He reached a hand out, not even pulling his head out from the pillow, and pet the strange snowman-like dog.

"I don't want to go to sleep, Plue," he murmured.

Plue whined into his side, nudging Lark's hand with his snout…which looked oddly carrot-like. Something about the dog's presence comforted Lark. He often called him to go to bed with him.

Lark rolled onto his back, sighing deeply, then sat up to eat the stir-fry his sister had made for dinner that night.

Plue let out a low growl.

"I know, Plue, but they don't believe me about seeing Angels either. I stopped trying a lot of years ago to make them understand," he finished his stir-fry, eyeing the dog-like creature as he continued to grunt at him.

Plue cocked his head, letting out another strange noise.

"I know what you're trying to say," Lark sighed, "but there's no point in telling them anything. They won't believe me. And then they'll just bombard me with stupid questions that I can't answer because they won't believe the truth."

The dog stopped his noises, curling up on Lark's pillow and resting his head on his paws.

He sighed, "Stay here, okay? I always sleep better when you're close by."

The dog grunted, assuring Lark that he wouldn't go anywhere.

Lark sighed heavily, resting one hand on the dog's quivering fur.

"Thanks, Plue," he whispered, "Here's hoping for a dreamless night."

Lark closed his eyes as Plue cuddled in close.

Lark Dragneel could see Angels and did so on a daily basis. But it wasn't the Angels that scared him. He could only see them as good and pure.

It was the nightmares that haunted him at night that scared him…the ones that called his name, beckoning him to join _them._ He'd had them as long as he could remember, but previously, they'd been much less frequent. For the last few months, the nightmares had become a much more regular occurrence, now occurring around twice a week.

He shuddered, feeling a small wave of comfort as Plue moved a little bit closer to him, licking his hand reassuringly. Somehow he knew, Plue would keep him safe for this night anyway. He felt the tug of slumber and called out a last minute silent prayer that his sleep would be uninterrupted...just to be on the safe side.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Okay - I know I'm not supposed to post til tomorrow morning, but I've been thinking I'm going to start posting Sundays rather than Mondays since it would probably be a better idea not to do it at work (cough cough).**

 **Chapter 3 is another introduction chapter - gotta set up characters with personalities, right? The main plot hints will be handed out over the next few chapters. Just so everyone knows, this is NOT a story regarding the mostly made up siblings and kids. The main plot will revolve around the adults and Larcade for the most part (although the kids will have parts too). I don't use my own characters too often. In fact, most characters have a real character name and description (for example Rob Zeeself from the Prologue - real character. He used fire magic - and so he is now the Fire Department chief) that I try to keep somewhat close to. 5 points if anyone can guess the OC from Angel of Oops.**

 **Thanks as always for the likes, follows and comments! Keep 'em coming!**

 **~Shana~**

* * *

The school yard was buzzing with whispers as Lark took a deep breath and concentrated on the task at hand. Several students had stopped what they were doing, watching as Lark lined up his longboard with the cement staircase rail. It went down three stories to campus below. Many had tried to ride that rail and ended up with some pretty serious injuries to prove it.

"Don't be an idiot!" Sora told him, "You don't have to do this."

"I was dared," Lark shrugged his shoulders, the mischievous glint in his eyes making girls on the sidelines swoon, "I wouldn't _dream o_ f backing out."

The girls lining up along the staircase squealed at that declaration.

Daisuke rolled his eyes.

"Go ahead, Dragneel!" Toby, the kid who had done the daring, mocked, "Let's see you do it!"

It had started with Lark trying to give Toby some pointers on how to ride the rail on the other side of campus. It was a single rail, but Toby had taken it the wrong way and thought Lark was being cocky. It was entirely possible he _was_ being cocky. While Lark got along extremely well with girls, he seemed to rub other male students the wrong way. It had resulted in an argument…and now the dare.

"Or," Daisuke growled, staring down Toby and his cronies, "We could just kick your asses and call it even."

"Shut up, Cheney!" Toby's friend, Yuka warned.

"See if you can make me," the much taller and larger Daisuke warned, his dark eyes glinting with anger.

Daisuke caught Lark's eye, who was shaking his head with disapproval. He didn't like Toby and his cronies any more than Daisuke did, but violence should always be avoided unless absolutely necessary. That was Lark's mandate.

Daisuke, on the other hand, would love to shut Toby up.

Lark took the running start, jumping up onto the rail with his board under his feet. He slid down the first banister with no issues, then jumped, landing on the second. The school kids were screaming their encouragement, everyone rushing down the stairs to see if he'd make the second jump. It was a bit further. Lark volleyed through the air, teetering a bit on the landing, but he regained his balance in seconds. At the end of the third rail, he bailed off the board. It was not a graceful end, but it still classified as completing the feat.

The crowd went wild, congratulating him with slaps on his back as Toby, Yuka, and their cronies disappeared back into the school, grumbling. Girls flanked him as he approached his friends, all chattering to him at once.

"That was so stupid!" Sora yelled. The girls around him shut up immediately, shooting her dirty looks, then disbursed so she could finish yelling at him. She smacked his arm with a closed fist, her light blue hair hiding her scowl underneath her bangs.

Lark laughed, "I wouldn't have done it if I didn't know I could."

"You were showing off!" she shot back.

Her angry glare made him laugh harder as she spun on her heel and marched into the school.

"I pissed her off again," Lark sighed, "Sometimes I think she acts more like a sister than a best friend."

"She's right," Daisuke gave Lark a lop-sided grin, "It was a stupid chance you took. But it was totally awesome. Oh – by the way – _thanks_ for not telling me you knew about Akane Beach. Dad told us last night."

Lark snorted his amusement as the bell rang, "Oh c'mon – it's going to be great, remember?"

Daisuke started for the doors, "Yup…it'll be peachy. We're leaving tonight after school."

Lark nodded, "So I'm told."

They both grabbed their books out of their lockers and headed for the first class.

* * *

"He's grown again," Wendy said to Minerva as they watched Lark and Daisuke disappear into the school. She couldn't help but stare. The shy little blonde boy had grown up. Crime Sorciere frequently checked in on him, but sometimes Wendy didn't join them due to being on other missions. It seemed it had been a long while since she'd seen him last. He was tall now…and muscular…and _really_ good looking.

Minerva nodded her agreement, "He's sixteen now. By the end of this year, he'll graduate high school. Let's get a little closer, shall we?"

Both women had to use a special ability called _Conceal_ in order to watch Lark since Lark had made it clear in his early years that he was able to see Angelic presences. _Conceal_ was different than _shadows_ and _transparency_ in that it blocked Aura trails. Needless to say, Erik was less than pleased with the new ability since it impaired his own ability to detect other Angels, but it hid their presence effectively from Lark.

They found him in his homeroom, leaning over a textbook with some red-headed girl. She was giggling as he pointed to certain lines of the text.

" _Kinky!"_ Lark acted like he was shocked at her insinuation, "Who knew a Math text book could be so perverted?"

"Lark!" the teacher snapped, "I've asked you twice now to pay attention!"

"Sorry, Ms. Canton," Lark drawled, flashing her a winning grin, "I forgot my text book at home and I really want to learn this lesson…Melissa here offered to let me share hers."

"Kimberley," the red-headed girl corrected him.

"Kimberley," Lark smiled, blushing in the cheeks.

Kimberley went red too.

"I think if you want to learn this lesson so badly, you should go share Daisuke's text book," Ms. Canton stated, pointing across the room.

"Mavis…he's such a flirt," Minerva grumbled.

Wendy couldn't take her eyes off of him. His dark eyes danced with mischief as he crossed the room to sit with Daisuke, a taller dark-haired boy with brown eyes. Lark himself had spiky blonde hair and eyes so dark, she couldn't tell if they were brown or dark green. His muscular build was garbed with jeans and a t-shirt, over-layed by a dress shirt. Lark was really, really handsome.

He flashed a winning smile at his teacher as he sat down, "I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Canton."

"It's _Ms_. Canton," Ms. Canton replied, trying to hide her reddening face.

"My mistake," Lark said lightly, "I just couldn't imagine someone as breathtaking as you is not married."

The teacher gave him an appreciative smile, then shook herself back to reality, resuming her lesson.

Minerva cleared her throat, making Wendy jump.

"If you're done ogling, we should go," she said gruffly, "We're meeting Erik and the others downtown soon."

"I wasn't ogling," Wendy denied.

Minerva smirked, "You were ogling. And you're damned lucky I'm the only one here to see it. Do you really think Erik would let that go?"

Wendy sighed heavily, "No. He would lecture me about how inappropriate it is."

Minerva nodded, "Let's go. I'm anxious to see Jellal and Erza."

Wendy took one last glance at Lark, who was chucking eraser pieces at the green-haired girl in front of him, then followed Minerva as she transported away.

* * *

"Mornin' Natsu," Romeo plopped into the chair beside Natsu. It was the morning briefing and Sting was _trying_ to update Magnolia's status. First Natsu had come in late, then Romeo.

"So good of you to join us, Conbolt!" Sting said loudly, "Now – where was I?"

"You look tired," Natsu observed.

Romeo and Natsu had been partnered up for a couple years now. Romeo was rather fresh from the police academy and since Natsu's previous partner, Gildarts, had retired, Natsu was deemed ready to take on a rookie. They were arguably Magnolia's best cop team, but they were also both hot-headed and reckless, much to Sting's chagrin.

Romeo didn't answer.

"You're too deep in thought for this early in the morning," Natsu teased, "Girl trouble?"

The glance Romeo shot Natsu said all it needed to, even without words.

"Natsu! Romeo!" Sting interrupted, "Did you catch what I just said?"

"East side!" Natsu said immediately, "We're patrolling the East side today."

Snickers broke out across the meeting room.

"Close," Rogue told him, "We actually said the bakery has graciously donated lunch to the precinct this afternoon so be back by noon. You two are on beaches today."

"That's what I said, sir!" Natsu saluted, "We'll start at the east side of the beach because it's closer to the precinct so we can be back at noon!"

Sting and Rogue exchanged glances, then continued their briefing, despite the ripple of laughter that went throughout the room.

* * *

The Fairy Tail crew sat at the briefing table. Kinana sat down last after bringing a jug of water to the table in case anyone was thirsty.

"Okay," Lucy said, flipping open her notebook, "So where are we with the last clients?"

"I heard from Meredy last week," Loke said, glancing around the table.

Their client had been running from her boss after she found some papers indicating illegal activity. She had been entrusted to Fairy Tail to protect her while police processed the evidence and made arrests.

"She says that now that her boss has been convicted, life has normalized for her again. She feels a lot more confident with the legal safeguards Laki put into place and is starting a new job," Loke finished reporting.

"That's good news," Laki sighed with relief. It hadn't been easy to get legal backup through the courts to protect her.

Loke nodded.

"Gajeel is still outside the apartment Joey is staying in," Lisanna reported, "just to be sure he's safe until Laki can complete the legal paperwork to emancipate him from his parents. Cana is staying inside the apartment with him, discussing his options with him and Chico. I'm in the process of finding funding so that he can finish school and gather necessary items for the baby."

The others nodded. Joey had come to them last week after running away from home. He had been badly beaten when his parents found out he'd gotten his girlfriend pregnant. It had taken the whole team to get him settled between Joey's mental condition, the angry parents demanding answers from the Magnolia Police, and the frantic girlfriend trying to figure out what was going on.

The counsellors of Fairy Tail, Lucy, Lisanna, and Cana had split their duties. Cana went to the station to address the angry parents who were in custody, assuring them their son was safe, but they would not be granted access to him until it could be ensured that he wouldn't end up beaten again. Loke had gone with her as reinforcement since he was part of the criminal enforcement team. Lisanna spent time with the girlfriend, Chico, with Mest as security and Laki as a legal advisor. They went over Chico and Joey's rights and laid down their options since Chico really wasn't sure how her parents would react. Lucy spent time with Joey, offering him the safe apartment upstairs with Gajeel as his guard until Laki could get some legal safeguards in place through court. She had just finished a counselling session with him earlier that morning. Joey was still a mess. He was sorry to see his relationship with his parents end, but he would not abandon Chico.

"And what about Chico?" Kinana asked.

"Chico's parents are willing to listen to Joey and Chico and help them out where they can," Virgo reported, "But Chico and Joey will be on their own financially for the most part."

"That's good that Chico's parents will stay in the picture. We'll continue to work with them and make sure they get properly set up," Lucy said with a smile on her face.

"It's starting to look pretty positive," Cana agreed, "I'll spend some time with them today to help them find an appropriate apartment."

Lucy nodded, "I'm going away with my family this weekend. By the time I get back, we should have the ruling on Joey's emancipation. We'll meet again then and re-evaluate what else we can do for them."

The others nodded, seemingly satisfied. Gajeel and Cana would remain with Joey and Chico over the weekend.

A knock at the door interrupted their thoughts.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," a female voice said through the slightly ajar door.

"Come in, Aries!" Virgo encouraged.

Aries opened the door, the pink blush on her face matching her hair as she entered pushing a trolley.

"I brought lunch," she said bashfully, "And the rest of your team will be bringing Joey and Chico down to join you. I'm sorry!"

"Come and sit with us," Kinana encouraged her, "I think we were done anyway."

As if on cue, Gajeel, Cana, Joey, and Chico entered the room. For the moment, the newest case was forgotten as everyone dove into the banquet of sandwiches and soups that Aries had laid out on the table.

* * *

"Might as well spit it out, kid," Natsu told Romeo as they drove slowly along the boardwalk of Magnolia's beach, "I can tell it's bothering you."

Romeo sighed, glancing out the window of the squad car.

"Is it the new girl you've been seeing?" Natsu asked.

"Chelia," Romeo muttered.

"Yeah – you had a date with her last night, right?" Natsu turned his blinker on, turning into the park.

"She wants to be my girlfriend," Romeo confirmed, "And when I said I like things the way they are, she bolted."

Natsu sighed, "Tough break, kid. I know you liked her."

Romeo shrugged, "We were best friends for a couple months. Whatever. I'll find another best friend."

"Maybe she'll think about it today and agree to take things slower with you," Natsu suggested.

"Doesn't matter if she does," Romeo huffed, "It's out there. I know it's at the back of her mind. Now when we go do things, it won't be the same."

"So what if it isn't?" Natsu challenged, "You like her – you've been telling me for months about your adventures. Sounds to me like you're a great pair!"

"I don't want it!" Romeo replied, "I like what we have. We like doing the same things and spending the day together. Sometimes we spend the night together too. But we never have to worry about ticking each other off because we're not committed. Committing would ruin what we have."

Natsu shook his head, "I see where you're coming from, but don't you want the other side of the coin too? Someone to come home to? Someone to tell about your day? Being committed is the best sides of both. You get to live with your best friend – it's a never-ending adventure."

"Just because you married your best friend doesn't mean I'll marry mine," Romeo grunted, "Not everyone can have a Lucy."

"Yeah, well I think you're wrong. When you meet the one, you'll know and you'll have no problem committing to her," Natsu told him.

Romeo didn't answer, resuming his gaze outside the window. Everyone knew how head over heels Natsu was for his wife. She was his whole world, his children easily sliding into second place after her. The fact that they had 8 kids together by the time they were 33 years of age was the butt of a lot of jokes at the precinct. But Romeo didn't think that kind of love was common…or easy.

"I don't know what's wrong with having a best friend that you're _not_ committed to," Romeo said finally, "We were having fun."

Natsu parked the car and glanced at his partner, "Maybe you like her more than you think you do if it's bothering you this much."

Romeo scowled at him before getting out of the car, "And maybe you're just a nosy old man."

Natsu gawked at his retreating back.

"I'm not old!" he yelled after Romeo, "I'm not even 40, Romeo! Not for a whole 'nother month!"

Romeo felt a grin spread across his face, knowing he'd effectively killed the argument for now. Natsu was a good partner and mentor. Romeo regularly came to him for advice about life. His own father, Macao, was also an officer at the precinct, but sometimes Romeo felt like he barely knew him. Macao had divorced Romeo's mother when he was a child and it had only been in recent years that Romeo had gotten to know him again. It hadn't been easy and Mavis knew how much Romeo appreciated his partner's support over the last couple years. Natsu was much more than a partner to Romeo…he was like a big brother.

* * *

"He's still just a big kid," Erik commented, watching Natsu chase Romeo across the park, demanding Romeo come back to 'fight him' over his Natsu-being-old comment.

"That much hasn't changed," Jellal agreed, appearing beside his old friend. Gray, Juvia, Erza, Gajeel, and Levy appeared beside him, big grins on all of their faces. They hadn't seen their Crime Sorciere counterparts in a few months.

"So what brings you here?" Erza asked, hugging Minerva, "We haven't seen you in a long time!"

"We've been busy! Crime Sorciere's services are in high demand these days," Erik said.

"We just came to check on everyone," Minerva added, "Heaven requested an update."

"Natsu's doing well," Gray told them, "He's climbing up the rankings at the police station and has managed to tone down his destructive streak a bit. Of course, his partner, Romeo, brings out that side a bit."

"Lucy is doing well too," Juvia agreed, "She loves her work at Fairy Tail and is really happy that she finally gets to put her counselling degree to work. It was worth all the extra studying she did when she was at home for the kids. Now that Brielle, their youngest, is 7 and is okay to have her older siblings babysit her, Lucy's thrown herself into her work. Of course, she still finds time to write the stories of our victims as well."

Erik nodded approvingly, "And the rest of Fairy Tail Earthland?"

"Things are good," Gajeel reported, "Fairy Tail Earthland has managed to stay out of trouble for the most part. Lucy, Lisanna and Cana counsel their clients and try to put their minds at ease while their lives are in such turmoil. Mest, Loke and I are in charge of security and protection for our clients and the staff. Laki is our resident lawyer and she makes sure that clients' rights are protected and that they're well informed about their options. And Kinana runs 'Juvia's Kitchen' when she's not busy stocking the Fairy Tail Resource Library."

"And where are the Angels in all of this?" Minerva asked.

"I primarily look after Natsu now," Gray stated, "since Gajeel is working at Fairy Tail full-time and is responsible for safety there. Juvia sticks close to the staff of Fairy Tail and Juvia's Kitchen. Levy watches over the staff with her since she rents out a room on the 2nd floor to do her cryptography work and stays close to Lucy."

"And we," Jellal supplied, gesturing to Erza, "fill in the blanks and keep an eye on the Dragneel children."

Erik nodded, an amused flicker on his face, "Handfuls, are they?"

"I wonder if Mavis knew when she told them they could have kids that they'd have eight," Gajeel muttered.

"Actually," Jellal chuckled, "I'm pretty sure she told me the plan was for a dozen."

"Anyway, they all have the aptitude to be mischievous," Erza acknowledged, "but we spend a lot of time watching the oldest in particular. The rest of them generally stay out of trouble and are very good kids, but we've intervened for Lark more than once. I have to hand it to Natsu and Lucy…they are _very_ good parents."

Jellal nodded. Erik was pretty sure he saw a shadow cross his face. He knew that look well from years of being Jellal's second-in-command…Jellal knew something the other Angels didn't.

"We're heading out to Akane Beach in an hour," Gray told Erik, "Dragneel family weekend."

"Okay. Well, that should satisfy Heaven for another while," Erik commented, "You know how to contact us if you need us."

Jellal nodded, giving his old friend a firm hug, "I'm sure we'll talk soon."

Erik's eyes twinkled as the small group of Angels began to transport, "Let's hope we won't need to."

* * *

"Lark, will you help me?" 7-year-old Brielle called from her bedroom, "Lark! Lark!"

Lark poked his head in Brielle's bedroom. Her blonde-streaked pink hair was done up in pigtails and she was already in her bathing suit.

"What do you need help with?" he asked.

"I need you to carry my suitcase please!" she flashed him her cutest smile.

He grinned, kissing her forehead as he sat on her bed beside her.

"You're going to be cold if you only wear your swimsuit on the way to Akane," he told her, pulling her on his lap as he sat on the bed, "You should put some pants on until we get there."

"Do I have to?" Brielle asked, playing with his fingers.

"Do you love your big brother?" Lark asked.

She nodded, a smile on her lips.

"Then you have to," Lark concluded.

"Okay," she pouted, "You're taking my suitcase for me, right?"

"Yeah," he promised, "But first…we better make sure you did a good job packing."

Brielle frowned as Lark unzipped her suitcase, examining the contents inside. The entire contents were made up of toys and stuffies.

"Bri…" he sighed, "Maybe I have to help you."

"What?" she asked, "I remembered everything important!"

He glanced at her, a half-smirk on his face, "Let's go through your suitcase together, okay? Maybe we can both decide what needs to be packed."

"Okay," she agreed with a big sigh.

"Okay…so first we have Mr. Bugsy," Lark pulled out her purple stuffed rabbit who had sunglasses on, "He's essential, right?"

"Can't sleep without him!" Brielle agreed.

"Then he _definitely_ goes in the 'pack pile'," Lark agreed, passing Mr. Bugsy to her, "But I'm not sure that your roller skates can go."

"Why not?" Brielle asked.

Lark pulled them out of the suitcase, "We're going to a beach, Brielle…how fast can you skate on sand?"

"Good point," she admitted.

"Okay then. Roller skates…'leave at home' pile," Lark grinned, "Now…about these Wagon Wheels? You have a whole box in here!"

"They're really yummy," Brielle told him, "They're my favourite."

"But Mom and Dad are bringing groceries for the trip," Lark reminded her, "What do you say we slip these in those groceries?"

Brielle nodded enthusiastically.

For the next half hour, Lark and Brielle went through everything in her suitcase, replacing some of the items with things that were a little more 'essential'. When they were done, seven of Brielle's dolls and about a dozen other toys lay in the 'staying at home' pile. In their place, Lark had helped her pack a pair of pajamas, two sets of shorts and t-shirts, some socks and shoes, underwear, a pair of pants, a sweater, and an extra bathing suit.

He placed her toothbrush and toothpaste in a zip lock baggy with a hair brush and hair ties, then grinned at her triumphantly, "Now you're ready."

"Thank you, Big Brother!" Brielle threw her arms around Lark's neck, hugging him tightly, "I hope I get to stay in the same hut as you."

"Unlikely, baby girl," Lark told her, relishing the hug, "You'll probably stay with Aki and Aimi…but I'll take you to the beach, okay?"

She nodded into his shoulder, "Okay."

"I'm going to check on Mieske and Connor too," he told her, "But first, I'll take your bag to the door so you're ready."

He grabbed Brielle's suitcase and headed out into the hallway. Aki was by the front door, placing Mieske and Connor's suitcases by the door. The twins appeared, placing their bags there too.

"You can be a real pig," Aki said softly, smiling at her older brother, "but nobody can deny your soft side."

"Shut up," Lark quipped, but his eyes sparkled as he put down Brielle's suitcase too.

"The little boys are good to go," Aki reported, "We just need to check on Hansuke, although I think he had his packing under pretty good control."

"I was just on my way to do so," Lark told her.

He paused, taking in a deep breath.

"What is it?" Aki asked, noting the look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Aki…" Lark said softly, "About yesterday, I mean."

She shook her head, "Don't worry about it. I wasn't really that upset. I did text you, but Dad just happened to call at a bad time. Connor had just tripped and he was bawling."

Lark nodded, "I'm sorry. I'll pay better attention to my cell."

Aki tilted her head, making Lark realize just how much she looked like Lucy, despite her pink hair, "I agree with our parents, Lark…something is bothering you. I hope you know you can count on me. We're siblings…but we're also friends."

Lark nodded again. Obviously, she'd been nearby during last night's conversation. He opened his mouth to respond when they heard honks out in the driveway.

He glanced back at Aki, "I guess Dad's home. C'mon. Let's gather the troops."

Lark breathed a secret sigh of relief as Aki called the other kids to help load the car, satisfied that Hansuke had done a fairly good job packing his own suitcases. He loved his sister, but he couldn't talk to her about what was bothering him. Not to her or anyone else.

As if on cue, Natsu and Lucy both pulled into the driveway, Natsu bouncing excitedly as Mieske, Connor and Hansuke all ran outside with their packed suitcases. Moments later, the Cheney family vehicle pulled up on the outskirts of the yard with Daisuke in the driver's seat. His father, Rogue, sat in the passenger seat. His mother, Laki, and sister, Megumi sat in the back.

"So not cool! How come you get to drive?" Lark demanded as he fist-bumped his arriving friend.

"Dad wants me to get some experience on the highway," Daisuke told him.

Daisuke had his full licence, much to Lark's annoyance. He only had his Learner's and Natsu had limited patience in teaching him to drive.

"Dad!" Lark yelled, "I wanna drive to Akane too!"

"No chance!" Natsu yelled back, "Not after the stunt you pulled yesterday. Good behaviour equals driving lessons - we talked about this!"

Lark sighed as Daisuke let out an amused chuckle. Yet another car pulled up, diverting Lark and Daisuke's attention. Levy was at the wheel. Sora stepped out of the passenger seat, her cheeks slightly rosy.

"Sora?" Daisuke asked.

"Our moms talked at work today," Sora explained, "Things at the beach with this many kids will be hard to monitor. I'm coming too."

"Okay!" Natsu announced, "The Dragneels are taking two cars instead of the van so that we have room for luggage. Lark, Connor, Mieske, Hansuke and Brielle - you're with me. Haru, Aimi, Aki, and Sora, you're with Lucy!"

"This is chaos," Levy commented with a grin as people started moving everywhere to load into their cars.

Lucy nodded, "This is life with the Dragneels...and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."

"I wish Gajeel and I were coming," Levy sighed, "but we will next time."

Lucy hugged her dearest friend to her, "I wish you were coming too."

"Load up!" Natsu was shouting, ushering kids to their designated cars, "Akane Beach is 4 hours from here! Let's get this show on the road!"

Lark took the front seat of Natsu's car, glancing again at Daisuke in the driver's seat of the Cheney car.

"We're outta here!" Natsu yelled to the other cars, "Akane Beach - here we come!"

* * *

"I'm bored," Happy sighed, "There's nothing to do here."

Mira laughed, lightly petting his head before returning to her mission log, "You're kidding, right? Heaven is the busiest place in the universe!"

"You forget I'm used to keeping up with Natsu's family," Happy muttered.

Mira shrugged, not actually able to come up with a counter-argument, "You've only been here a short while, Happy. Before long, we'll be sending you out to another family."

"I should probably go back to my Dragneel family," Happy stated, "They really need me. I think they'll probably fall apart without me."

"You _can't_ go back to the Dragneels," Mira reminded him, "You were called Home because your time there is done."

"You could send me back as a frog," Happy suggested.

"Exceeds don't come in the form of frogs!" Mira told him firmly, " _AND GET OFF MY DRAPES, YOU SHITTY CAT!"_

Mira sighed heavily as the entire drapery ensemble crashed to the ground. Happy was oblivious as he moved on to the silk-lined couch. Perhaps Happy was used to keeping up with the Dragneels...but was _anyone_ capable of keeping up to _him_?


	4. Chapter 4

It was a good thing it had been a 1/2 day at work and school for all of them. The signs indicating they were moments from Akane Beach came into view almost 6 hours later. The long trip had been made even longer between pee breaks and car sickness stops. Almost all of the Dragneel children had inherited Natsu's weakness to motion - the ones who weren't adopted - but as the signs started getting bigger and bolder, any thoughts of being sick to their stomachs left the Dragneel children, replaced by raw excitement.

The three vehicles pulled up to the check in station almost exactly at the same time.

"Mom, can we run down to the beach while you're checking in?" Connor cried out.

She laughed. All the kids needed out of the vehicle to run for awhile. It had been a long trip, "Stay together! And you have to check back in 10 minutes so we can settle into our cabins!"

The kids needed no more encouragement, running for the beach. Brielle paused long enough to wait for Megumi to get permission from her parents, then the two little girls ran for the beach too, squealing their delight. Although Megumi was technically almost 4 years older than Brielle, they'd always been very close since the other siblings closest to their ages were all boys.

"We'll watch them," Aki told her parents, falling into step beside Sora as they began to follow the younger kids. Daisuke and Lark exchanged glances.

Sora stole a glance at Lark, who was chatting happily with Daisuke about the eye candy they could see just in the first 3 minutes of being there. There were hundreds of people at the beach, playing in the sand. There was no wind today. The waters were turquoise and calm. Children played, running in every direction and splashing in the water. Some people sunbathed while others played beach games like Frisbee.

The youngest Dragneel kids and Megumi hurried to get their shoes and socks off to get their first toe-dips in the ocean. Lark and Daisuke both took off their shirts, basking in the warm afternoon sun. Aki glanced back at Sora, a playful grin playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Eww," Aki commented, "Really? Of all the men at this beach that are topless, you're watching _my brother?"_

Sora blushed, "No…I was looking at the kids. They've left their socks and shoes everywhere."

"Uh huh," Aki teased.

"As if you can talk," Sora muttered, "I saw you eyeing Daisuke."

Aki shook her head, blushing.

Sora was in between Aki and Lark age-wise. She was in Lark's grade and regularly hung out with Lark and Daisuke after school, but was also very close to Aki and her group of friends. Her shy demeanor usually had her hanging out more with Aki when there were large groups of people.

The two girls began to gather socks and shoes, bundling them up in their arms. Daisuke nodded to Lark when the girls' arms began to get too full and they stooped to help them.

"Let me take some of that," Lark said as Sora wavered, trying to keep everything balanced in her arms.

"Thanks," Sora said, passing him half of her load. She turned her head so he wouldn't see her red cheeks, only to realize Aki was on the other side of her, shaking her head with an amused smile.

By the time the four made it down to the beach, the younger kids had waded in up to their knees.

"No further!" Lark ordered, "The sign says there's drop offs and we're not swimming right now! Mom and Dad want us back in a few minutes!"

"Aww!" Connor protested, "C'mon, Lark! Just a little further!"

"You heard him!" Aki called back, "And anyone who doesn't listen, doesn't come back later when we _do_ come to swim."

The younger children groaned, but did as they were told. The four older kids sat down on the soft sand.

"It's gorgeous here," Daisuke commented, nudging Lark with an elbow as a group of teenage girls in bikinis walked past them.

"That's for sure," Lark said under his breath, shooting one particular girl with dark purple hair a sexy grin, "This is going to be a good weekend."

* * *

Gray and Juvia watched the kids play in the distance.

"Tell me how Metal-Head got out of Dragneel weekend duty again?" he muttered to Juvia.

"Gajeel is watching the Fairy Tail client this weekend," Juvia told him, "And they deserve part of this weekend to themselves...it's been awhile since they've had a break. Jellal and Erza will be here shortly once Jellal finishes his meeting with Erik."

"We're due for a vacation too," he reminder her, kissing her cheek gently.

But that would have to wait. Gray had happened to be with Jellal earlier that day when his cell phone rang. Jellal confirmed to Gray afterward that it had been Erik calling. He wanted to meet with Jellal…alone. And so Gray and Juvia had accompanied the Dragneels to Akane with the promise that Jellal and Erza would join them shortly after.

It was perhaps the only thing that Gray really disliked about working with Jellal – the secrets. He was a master of keeping things to himself unless it was necessary to tell everyone involved.

Aki was warning Mieske he was venturing too far out. She was really good with the younger kids. Lark had laid down on his back, absorbing the sun's rays.

"Are you still worried about him, my love?" Juvia asked, noting the expression on Gray's face. She leaned on his shoulder, already knowing the answer just from the expression in his eyes.

Gray had spent a lot of time following Lark. Generally, Jellal and Erza split the duties of watching the Dragneel kids with Gray and Juvia. Jellal had always insisted that he (Jellal) personally keep an eye on Lark, but in more recent years, he'd relaxed and allowed Gray to share some of that responsibility. Both Jellal and Gray had noticed the recent changes in Lark's personality and Gray had a suspicion that Jellal knew more than he was telling them.

"Something's bothering him," Gray murmured, "He seems fine right now though."

Juvia nodded, "What do you think it is?"

Lark was calling the kids out of the water because their time limit was up. Their parents should be done checking in by now.

Gray shook his head, kissing her hair gently before pushing her to get up. The Dragneel kids were on the move again. And he didn't know the answer to her question.

* * *

"Okay!" Natsu clapped his hands, gaining the attention of the 11 children in front of him, "We have 4 cabins. Luce and I are taking one cabin. Brielle and Connor, you'll stay with us. Rogue and Laki have another. That leaves 2 cabins – boys take the one on the left of our cabin, and girls take the one on the right. Get your luggage, settle in, and be back outside in ½ hour! We've got a beach party to attend tonight."

"I want to stay with Aki!" Brielle whined.

"Sorry, baby," Lucy said unapologetically, "This is Aki's vacation too! You're staying with Daddy and I."

Lark and Daisuke helped Mieske and Haru gather their things.

"I call top bunk!" Haru yelled.

"No fair!" Mieske yelled back.

"You can both have top bunks," Daisuke told them, "Lark and I can take the bottom bunks."

"I don't see why I have to stay with Mom and Dad," Connor muttered, "I'd rather stay in the boys' cabin."

"Not enough room, buddy," Natsu said, "Besides…your mom and I are tons of fun."

Connor rolled his eyes, following his parents toward their cabin.

The cabins were somewhat spacious. Two bunk beds lined either side of the wall. A small kitchenette lined a 3rd wall away from the door. There was a small, working bathroom to the left side with a shower.

Lark and Daisuke took the bottom bunks as promised so Haru and Mieske each got the top bunks. Lark slid the luggage underneath the bunks and stretched out on the mattress, sighing heavily.

"Don't go to sleep!" Daisuke warned, noting how heavy Lark's eyes looked, "Your dad wants to go participate in the feast tonight at the beach!"

"Yeah, yeah," Lark muttered, one arm hung over his eyes, "Dad always likes the buffet foods. Anywhere that's all you can eat."

"It should be fun," Mieske interjected, "I heard the feast tonight is for the Cherry Blossom Festival. There will be games and dancing and music too."

Lark gave a half-hearted acknowledgement. Daisuke was right - Lark was extremely tired and he very easily could fall asleep. The drawback to not having a nightmare the night before was that he spent half the night awake, waiting for it. He was completely exhausted.

* * *

"Seems we're meeting up _a lot_ sooner than expected," Jellal greeted Erik as they appeared roughly at the same time on top of the Magnolia Police Department roof.

Jellal lost his smile at the look on Erik's face.

"What happened?" he asked

"Crime Sorciere has been asked to look into something," Erik said quietly, "And I want you to come with me."

Jellal waited, eyeing his friend for more information.

"There's been a murder, Jellal," Erik said somberly.

Again, Jellal maintained eye contact, slightly nervous at Erik's tone.

"Kyoka was found strangled in her jail cell last week," Erik said finally.

"Hmmm," Jellal hummed. Of all the group that had been arrested, Kyoka showed the most promise of being rehabilitated. It had been 16 years since her incarceration at the all-woman jail. Whenever Crime Sorciere checked on her, they found her largely keeping to herself. She performed her duties at the jail quietly and stayed out of the other womens' way. It was strange that someone would choose to murder her, "I'm sure the murderer couldn't have gone far...why do you need me?"

"Because everyone knows nobody performs a Crime Sorciere investigation like you do," Erik told him, "I'm a good leader and I do my best, but I can't compare to your skills. I need your help."

"Because Kyoka was murdered? Won't the human police be quick to pinpoint the murderer?" Jellal asked.

Erik shook his head, "I don't believe they will. And it's a bit more complicated than it sounds."

"I don't understand," Jellal told him, "You're going to have to explain a little better than that."

Erik was quiet again for a long moment before looking his friend dead in the eyes, "There are details about Kyoka's death that human police won't be able to explain, Jellal. Plus, this morning there was a second victim."

"A second victim," Jellal repeated.

"Yeah," Erik said, "This morning, they found Kari. She's been stabbed."

* * *

20 minutes later, the Dragneel children had eyes as wide as their mouths as they took in the sights before them. Tables upon tables of banquet items were laid out, along with dessert tables and beverage bars. There was a lively band playing in the background with grass skirt dancers weaving throughout the crowds.

"Oh, HELL ya!" Natsu grinned.

Lucy exchanged glances with Laki, both of them giggling at how similar the Dragneel children were to Natsu. They all stood with ravenous eyes, taking in the sight and smell of the tables before them.

"Go," Lucy told them, "I'll go secure a table for us."

Screams of excitement filled the air as the Dragneels, Natsu in front of the charge, disbursed through the tables in search of a plate.

Laki laughed again, "I'll go find a table with you. It seems I've lost my family too."

* * *

After an incredible dinner, the music started up again. Fire dancers took the stage, twirling their batons and chanting.

"This is awesome!" Natsu exclaimed.

The kids were watching with wide-eyes again too. Lucy and Laki exchanged glances, their eyes light with amusement. Heavy drumming set the tone for the fire dancers as they spun and weaved between each other. Suddenly, the drumming stopped and the dancers froze.

"We need a volunteer!" the traditionally garbed man at the microphone announced.

Right away, all the kids shot up their hands, but Rogue burst out laughing as he realized Natsu's hand shot straight up as well. He was bouncing like a little kid. Connor and Mieske tried to block the entertainer's view of Natsu as they jumped excitedly.

"You!" the fire dancer pointed at Natsu, "Come up to the stage please."

Natsu grinned triumphantly and made his way up to the stage.

"What's your name?" the fire dancer asked as his companions whirled around Natsu, helping him into some fire retardant pants.

"I'm Natsu Dragneel!"

"My name is Arlock. And what is your career, Natsu?" the fire asked. A woman was pulling on his vest to get it off. Reluctantly, Natsu allowed her to pull it off of him.

"I'm a police officer," Natsu said loudly.

"We're going to teach Officer Dragneel how to spin fire!" the man announced, raising his arms above his head. The crowd went wild as Natsu was handed his own baton.

One of the female dancers was showing him how to hold the baton while the fire dancers paced the stage, getting ready to exhibit the next dance.

The drums started to pound again. Two dancers flanked Natsu as he assumed the same position as them. They started by moving their batons back and forth, then all at once, the staffs hit the ground and exploded with fire.

"Long ago, there was a young man who lived here at Akane Beach," Arlock narrated as the fire spinners, moved in unison, "He was a good man. He was smart and able to create things no other man had thought about before. He lived with his parents and his little brother. Unfortunately, the village was attacked and the entire population was burned to ash. It was only he that survived."

The dancers slammed down their poles, the fire temporarily ceasing with the timing of the music. The beat of the drum resumed and one again, all the dancers slammed their staffs to the ground, the fire bursting in visibility again.

"The man could not deal with the loss of his family and poured all his intelligence into finding a way to make death less permanent. It was too cruel a fate to be separated from loved ones for an eternity," Arlock continued.

Natsu was circling the storyteller with the other dancers, copying their movements to the best of his ability. The fire intrigued him and he loved making it spin in unison with the other dancers.

"So he created a new place, far off into the Heavens...a place for loved ones to ascend to when they died," Arlock held up his hand. The other dancers cried out, then began their acrobatic leaping across the stage. Natsu had no clue what to do, so he stood still in one place, spinning his fire staff in a simple circle.

"Traditionally, our people have always danced when we've lost a loved one, but one day, a messenger from the young man came to the exalted chief and handed him a baton. He said to light the sky on fire with our dancing and the loved ones we've lost will see the display from their places above. This is our connection with the dead and the promise that they will be looked after forevermore," Arlock threw his hands in the air as the other dancers released gigantic flames from their batons. Several fireworks released into the sky above them.

The crowd was enamoured with the impressive display. The dancers split up and started circling Natsu, flipping their batons in different patterns again. Natsu watched what they were doing carefully, trying to mimic their movements.

"And so the art of fire dancing was born."

Natsu watched the other dancers. He was getting surprising accurate with his mimicked movements, awing the crowd. Natsu loved the glow and the heat from the baton, which only spurred him to get more daring with his movements. The performers did backflips and other tricks once again amidst the fireworks display and the heavy drumming, reaching to the climax of the music. Natsu laughed out loud as he managed to successfully toss the baton into the air, catching it with his hand behind his back.

Suddenly, the drums pounded three last times and stopped. The dancers all had their arms extended to Natsu, their fire batons creating a semi-circle around him.

"Thank you, Officer Dragneel!" the main dancer exclaimed.

The crowd shouted their approval as Natsu's torch went out. They handed it to him to keep as a keepsake.

Natsu retrieved his vest and descended the platform, his kids immediately rushing to meet him. He shot Lucy a triumphant grin. _That_ had been a really cool experience. She held up her phone, indicating she'd been able to record part of it.

The party progressed to public dancing. The fire dancers had put out their torches and were now mingling with the crowd, showing them traditional dance moves, even though the music had changed to something much less dramatic. Some of the crowd were just dancing their own way for the fun of it. The music was lively and easy to dance to.

Natsu was dancing with Lucy flush to his side. It was like they'd forgotten the rest of the world existed, they were so solely intent on each other. Rogue danced with Laki, but not quite as intimately. They never had been quite as into PDA as Natsu and Lucy, but then Natsu just honestly didn't care who knew he loved his wife...and Lucy had simply gotten used to his affections. Connor, Mieske, Haru, and Hansuke had found some other boys to hang out with. Brielle and Megumi were doing each others' hair.

"That was kind of cool, what they had Natsu do," Daisuke commented.

"It was," Aki agreed, "Now we know why they chose him out of all those kids though. You can't let a kid spin fire like that."

"He was the only adult that volunteered," Lark commented

Aimi glanced at her parents, then Brielle, who was yawning, "Mom and Dad are having fun. I'll take Brielle back to the cabin. She looks ready for bed."

"Maybe take Megumi too," Daisuke suggested, "They're still little enough they can probably share a bed, right? I'll let my parents know so they don't worry."

"Goodnight," Aimi agreed, ushering the two littlest girls off toward the cabin.

"Will you dance with me?" Daisuke asked Aki, extending a hand.

She smiled, reaching for it.

"What the hell, man?" Lark snapped, "You can't dance with my sister!"

"Well, I could ask Sora," Daisuke snapped back, "But that would leave _you_ with your sister! That's just mean to Aki."

Lark sighed, admitting defeat as both girls giggled. Daisuke had a point there...minus the 'mean to Aki' part. He was sitting down on the top of the picnic table. Daisuke and Aki disappeared into the crowd. Sora grinned and sat down beside him, nudging his shoulder playfully.

"Oh c'mon…it's not so bad. It's just a dance. And Aki could do a lot worse than Daisuke."

Lark nodded, the far away look in his eyes telling Sora she only had half his attention.

"Let's go dance too," Sora suggested, light in her eyes.

He shook his head, "I'm not much of a dancer."

It was a half-truth, Sora realized. Lark's mind was on something else altogether. She noticed the group of girls, eyeing Lark hungrily from the table next to them. Subconsciously, she moved a bit closer.

"What's going on, Lark?" she asked, "Aren't you having fun?"

He nodded again, "I was just thinking about the legend the fire dancers told."

She pulled him to his feet, putting her hand in his and swayed to the music, regardless of the fact that he'd just told her no. He seemed too dazed to actually notice. Unconsciously, he began to move too.

"Don't you find it comforting?" she asked, "The thought that someone will look after the people we love after they die?"

He nodded, scanning the Angel presences throughout the party. They were everywhere. He wanted to tell Sora that Angels looked after people in life too...

Lark hadn't even realized he'd slid his arm behind Sora's back. A pretty girl with purple hair was staring at him. She smiled slightly, but didn't approach Lark. Lark realized suddenly that it was likely due to the fact that he was dancing with Sora.

"I don't know if I believe in the legend," Sora commented, "but I'd like to think that we're not alone altogether."

She paused, noting the shadows that now plagued Lark's face.

"We're not," Lark said, looking down into her eyes, "The Angels protect us."

It was a test...to see if she would push his comment aside. If she denied the possibility, he wouldn't talk to her about it. If she agreed, then maybe he could take a chance on confiding in her.

She smiled, "Angels. It's a really nice thought for sure."

 _A thought...a thought she doesn't believe._

"I don't want to dance anymore," he said, backing up to the picnic table.

An awkward silence permeated between them. Sora found herself getting anxious. She hated it when Lark went into one of these depressive episodes. She really had no idea how to handle them.

Sora took a deep breath, boldly reaching for one of his hands. She squeezed it encouragingly, "Everyone who cares about you has known for a few weeks now that something is bothering you. Can you tell me? I'll listen and I promise I won't say anything."

He glanced at her, their eyes meeting. Sora had been a childhood friend since before he came to live with Natsu and Lucy. They'd been in the orphanage together. No matter how their lives changed or what stupid moment Lark managed to get himself into, Sora was always there behind the scenes, encouraging Lark to keep going...or correct him with a karate chop to the neck if necessary. To say that he cared about her was an understatement. She was as close to him as his own siblings. Sora and Daisuke, that is. _Both of them_ were as close to Lark as the siblings that lived with him. And they often served as his voice of reason when he was considering doing something stupid.

Lark was well aware of Sora's budding feelings for him. It wasn't unusual for girls to like him, but he could never return those feelings. She was his best friend. Nothing more. Still, he longed to talk to her. If there was a chance of anyone really listening to him, it would be Sora.

"What would you say if I told you..." Lark's voice trailed off.

Sora maintained eye contact with him, her eyes questioning.

"There's some things..." he said slowly, re-choosing his words carefully. He sighed as he realized, there _was_ no way to tell her. She'd think he was crazy. He disentangled his fingers from hers, "I'm sorry, Sora. I think there's just some things that a person can't tell anyone. It's not you. It's just…something I need to work through on my own."

"You could try," Sora said softly, "Maybe you'd find that I'd be a good listener."

He smiled at her, getting off the picnic table, "That's never been doubted."

"Lark?" she begged, grabbing his wrist when he turned to walk away, "Where are you going?"

He paused, gently brushing her hair out of her face. Their eyes locked and Sora was taken aback by how tired he looked suddenly. It wasn't a sleepy tired...but the light in his eyes had dimmed.

"It's not you, Sora. I promise. I just need to be alone for awhile."

She nodded, releasing his wrist, "Don't go too far. The others will be ready to go to the cabin soon."

He patted her shoulder gently, nodded at the purple-haired girl who'd been watching the whole scene, then disappeared into the crowd.

Sora stared at the place he'd disappeared from for a long while. She wished she could understand his moods lately. Sometimes it seemed like he was all over the map. Sometimes, it was like he looked for trouble. Other times, he was happy and goofy, like the Lark they all knew and loved. This Lark, however, had been unbelievably sad...maybe depressed even? She couldn't understand the vast flops in the way he acted.

A moment ago, it seemed like he would finally confide in her.

* * *

"Aimi has the two little girls safely in the cabin," Juvia reported, catching up to Gray.

"The others are having fun," Gray reported back, "But Lark just took off. Whatever is bothering him is on his mind again. I'll follow him if you can keep an eye on everyone else."

She nodded, breaking off into the party again.

Keeping up with that many people was a full-time chore. Where in the hell were Erza and Jellal?

* * *

"There goes Lark," Lucy commented to Natsu as they swayed to the music.

Natsu glanced at his retreating back, "He's got that look on his face again...he needs to be left alone for awhile."

Lucy leaned into her husband's arms further. Even though they clashed at times, Lucy realized Natsu was not as clueless to his son's moods as Lark thought he was. He had a 6th sense about what all his children were feeling. Lucy wasn't sure if any of them understood how much Natsu loved them.

"I'm going to get a few moments alone with him this weekend," Natsu promised, "I'll see if he'll confide in me."

"Thanks," Lucy smiled, "I'll see if I can do the same."

Natsu nodded, leaning in to kiss his wife. He knew Lucy might have a better chance of pulling out of Lark what was bugging him. But that wouldn't stop him from trying. He longed to have the closeness he and Lark shared up until only a few months back. He wasn't sure when they'd stopped seeing eye-to-eye, but he was sure Lark wasn't acting out to be difficult. Something was bugging him. And whatever it was, Lark needed understanding, not nagging. Natsu and Lucy had carefully weighed the best way to handle the strange behaviour in deep conversations and it was decided the best way was to not to let him get away with things, but assure him of his place in the family and be there if he decided to talk.

Lucy was thinking the opposite. If Natsu had the chance to really be alone with Lark, she had no doubt that he would be able to bond with their boy.

* * *

"So Kari didn't die," Jellal clarified.

"No," Erik shook his head, "A guard heard her screaming and interrupted the attack. She was found alone, bleeding in her locked jail cell."

"Then how did the attacker get away?" Jellal asked.

Erik was quiet again for a long moment, "I was there when Kari woke up in the hospital and talked to the police."

Jellal nodded. He'd suspected as much. Erik was asking for help because he wasn't sure what to do next, which meant he'd been on this investigation already for a few days, if not weeks.

"Kari insists her attacker wasn't human," Erik continued, "She swears he 'disappeared' when the guards came around the corner."

Jellal's eyes bulged as he realized what Erik was trying to tell him.

 _Her attacker wasn't human. He disappeared._

 _"_ I need your help," Erik said again.

Jellal let out a deep sigh. Erza would not be happy if he broke their plans for Akane.

"I'm supposed to help guard the Dragneels this weekend at Akane Beach," he said finally, "And I have to tell Erza. Give me 2 days."

Erik nodded, "In the meantime, I'll be spreading as much of the Crime Sorciere team as I can. I haven't told them all the details yet. Sorano and Ezel were both involved with what happened all those years ago. We don't know that there's a connection...but Kyoka and Kari within a week of each other..."

Jellal nodded, "I understand. I'll tell Erza before we come back to Magnolia. And then I'll go with you."

* * *

Lark walked along the beach, enjoying the serenity of it despite his inner turmoil. He looked around, making sure he was completely alone.

"Plue!" he yelled out.

Instantly the ghost dog appeared beside him, nuzzling his hand.

"What's wrong with me?" Lark sighed, sinking to the sand. He pulled the dog into his arms, absorbing the comfort that he gave.

Plue licked his nose, making Lark laugh a bit.

"I have this…bad feeling," he confided to Plue.

Plue made a bark-like noise.

"I don't know, Plue. I didn't have a nightmare last night...probably because you were beside me," he patted the dog's head affectionately, "But when that man on the stage was talking, I had that same feeling as before...I needed to get out of there. Seriously Plue...what in the hell is wrong with me? I'm confiding to a dead dog over Sora."

Plue rolled on the sand, kicking his legs up.

"Not now, Plue. I don't really want to play."

Plue jumped up, bolting down the beach. Moments later, he returned with a stick, dropping it at Lark's feet.

Lark felt his lips curling into a half-smile, "You're a goofy dog, you know that?"

Plue barked, nudging the stick again.

Just as Lark reached for it, Plue lunged, grabbing the stick and bolting away from Lark. Lark laughed out loud, chasing the dog in circles around the beach.

Gray watched them play for a few minutes, in awe at the scene. All the Angels charged to look after the Dragneel family knew Lark was special in that he could see Angels. But it was news that he could see ghost dogs too.

Lark's earlier mood had lifted into a playful cantering with the dog. It was a backwards game – Plue was keeping the stick away from Lark – but it had effectively banished Lark's earlier glumness as he darted after the dog, laughing.

* * *

It was an hour later when Sora and Aki appeared on the beach. Everyone was out looking for Lark.

They found him sprawled out on the sand, his eyes closed and a contented smile on his face.

"Is he sleeping?" Sora asked.

Aki nudged Lark with her foot, glancing back at Sora when he didn't move.

"C'mon, you big idiot!" Aki nudged harder with her foot, "Everyone is looking for you! Get up!"

Lark groaned a bit as he sat up, "Is it morning now?"

"No," Aki commented as she offered her hand to help him up, "But it's time to go back to the cabins. Nobody knew where you were."

"Sorry," he offered feebly.

"You're dirty," Sora said softly, wiping at a footprint on his arm, "How did you get a footprint there? Looks like it was a dog?"

"Naw. Just smudged dirt," he responded.

He fell into step with Aki as they left the beach. Sora paused, glancing around the area. The beach was combed every night during supper, as most people stayed in the campgrounds afterward to attend whatever party Akane was throwing that night...but the sand had been trampled already. It looked like Lark had been running in erratic patterns. Even odder, there were dog footprints, despite Lark's claim that he hadn't seen a dog. Dismissing it, she ran to catch up to Aki and Lark.

Plue sat at the water's edge and watched them go, his tag wagging sadly when he knew Aki and Sora hadn't seen him. He missed his family.

* * *

Jellal stood alone on the rooftop of the Magnolia Police Department, staring into the city with a devoid expression. Erik had left him only 10 minutes ago, promising to return to Magnolia in two days to let him know the progress of Crime Sorciere's investigation. He would ask one of the Crime Sorciere Angels to stay in Jellal's stead so that his regular duties were covered. It had been a long, disturbing conversation that left both Erik and Jellal with more questions than answers...answers that neither of them were actually sure they wanted to know. Jellal was uneasy now.

Erza appeared beside him, her wide grin breaking his deep thought process.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

He feigned a grin, "Yes, my love. Let's go."

He transported, knowing she'd follow behind him. Erza stared at the place her beloved had been only moments ago.

Something was bothering him. She knew his fake smiles well by now. She hadn't seen one in quite a while…not since he retired as Crime Sorciere's leader. She was used to Jellal keeping his secrets. Jellal was a mysterious Angel and that's part of what made him so successful as a leader. He knew what to divulge to the other Angels and when. But as a result, he often shouldered his worries alone.


	5. Chapter 5

_**I KNOW it's not Sunday - but gimme a break - I've been sticking to the week schedule for 4/5 weeks. lol. I've been waiting to post this chapter forever :D Plus, I'll be honest...this chapter is pivotal.**_

 _ **Normal schedule will resume Sunday and every Sunday after that. Promise! Following is a note from my amazing Beta - Reader, OtakuPrincess28 - thank you for putting up with re-writes and constantly changing ideas**_

 _ **~Shana~**_

* * *

 _ **NOTE FROM OTAKUPRINCESS 28**_

 ** _Hey guys! Otaku princess here! Super excited about this next chapter... it is so good, you will have tears in your eyes... literally! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did when I helped proofread! Shout out to shanahollows who continues to write amazing chapters... so much is coming your way! I can't wait to see what you think!_**

 ** _Otakuprincess28_**

* * *

 _Everything in his line of vision was red. Lark stumbled, falling to his knees on a sharp rock. He had no clue where he was, and he was terrified. He couldn't make out definite objects in his path, nor could he define a direction to take._

" _Larcade," the ominous voice called him, "Stop running."_

 _The voice was calm as it called to him, possibly annoyed, yet that just intensified Lark's panic._

 _Lark got off his knees, stretching his hands out in front of him as he took off blindly. He'd already fallen once, but the presence in the air was constricting. He couldn't see where he was going. He couldn't stay still either. Whomever was calling him was close. He had to run. The heat was unbearable as he searched desperately for a way out. Any way._

" _Larcade..."_

 _He felt something sinewy crawling up his leg. Screeching, he tried to turn direction, but whatever it was that had him was climbing around his body. Lark was so terrified, he couldn't even scream as the strands of sinew began dragging him down. He thrashed wildly, trying to get out of the sinewy grip. It was constricting his lungs. He could feel his veins bulging as the sinew constricted tighter and tighter. He couldn't breathe..._

* * *

"Lark!" Daisuke yelled, shaking his friend awake. Streams of sweat beaded down his face and he was thrashing. Oddly enough, only strained sounds escaped his throat. He was by no means screaming. Mieske and Hansuke stood far enough behind Daisuke that Lake's wild swinging wouldn't reach them.

It did, however, connect with Daisuke's face. Daisuke flew backward, landing beside a horrified Mieske.

"LARK STOP!" Hansuke yelled.

Lark opened his eyes, panting wildly. He glanced over at Daisuke on the ground. His nose was bloody as he stared at his friend with wild eyes.

"I'm sorry," Lark cried out.

Tears streamed down his face, mixed with beads of sweat. His breathing was heavy as he forced himself to calm down.

"Lark…" Mieske murmured nervously, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Lark replied, trying to get himself together, "I'm fine. No need to tell Mom and Dad about this. It was just a bad dream."

He got up from the bed and went over to Daisuke, "I didn't hit you too hard, did I?"

"Nah," Daisuke denied, "It wasn't a big deal. Just surprised me. That's all."

"Mieske…Hansuke…can you give me a few minutes?" Lark asked, still working to calm his frazzled nerves.

Both boys looked hesitant, wanting to stay to help their older brother. Daisuke nodded to them. The two of them reluctantly left the cabin.

"Don't tell Mom and Dad. They'll just worry," Lark reminded them.

"What the hell did you dream about?" Daisuke asked when the boys were gone.

"It was nothing," Lark murmured, walking to the bathroom to wipe himself down.

"It scared the shit out of you obviously," Daisuke insisted, "So what gives?"

"I wish everyone would back off," Lark said quietly, "I told you…I'm fine."

Daisuke stared at his friend, who was now calm again. At least on the surface. He could tell by the look on Lark's face that whatever he'd dreamed still bothered him.

"When you're ready," Daisuke told him, getting up from the bed and heading to the door, "Come and find me. We've been friends for a long time, Lark. You should know you can tell me anything."

"Yup. I know," Lark sighed.

 _That's what they all say._

The door closed behind Daisuke. Lark sighed again.

He sat on the bed, moving his pajama legging up so that he could examine his knee…the knee he'd fallen on in his dream. It was swollen with a large bruise. A stream of blood rolled down his leg. He took a cloth and dabbed at it. It wasn't serious, but that was hardly the point.

 _If only it were that easy, Daisuke. I could never make you understand._

* * *

Breakfast was another gigantic, well-laid out buffet, much to Natsu's excitement. He hurriedly dressed when he could smell it, nudging his wife to hurry up and get out of bed too.

"Natsu…just a few more minutes," Lucy sighed, "This bed is amazing."

"But the foooood," Natsu gestured toward the door.

"So go," Lucy told him, "It's just…not often that I get to really sleep in. Connor has already gone out to find the other kids. Brielle ended up sleeping in the girls' cabin…If you want to go, go!"

Natsu glanced toward the door again, the smell of bacon permeating his nose. He glanced back at his wife and dropped his shoes, climbing back into the bed behind her and pulling her flush against his body. She cuddled into him, kissing the arm that came around her.

"I love you more than bacon, Luce," he whispered into her ear, "And you're right...we don't get these mornings often. Happy Anniversary, by the way."

She chuckled, "And what Anniversary is it today?"

"You don't know?" he kissed down her neck, squeezing her into his body, "Today is the 12th Anniversary of the day we brought home our twins and Lark permanently."

She flipped her body over so that she was facing him, "You're right…this is the official anniversary of the day Lark, Aimi and Haru ended their trial with us and became Dragneels. I wonder if they remember."

"Doubtful," Natsu laughed, "They barely remember each other's birthdays, let alone the day we became an official family."

"Technically, that would be Brielle's birthday," Lucy murmured thoughtfully, "That was the day we became complete."

"True that," Natsu agreed, "Although I really wouldn't mind _one_ more kid…"

"You don't think 8 is enough?!" she asked incredulously.

"I love the kids," Natsu told her, "And we haven't had a baby in 7 years."

"I love the kids too," Lucy told him, kissing his nose, "But I don't actually miss the diapers that much. Or the overnight feedings. I'm kind of enjoying this stage of having older kids. Brielle is still our baby. I'll be honest...I'm not sure I really want another."

"We could just keep 'practicing' and see what happens," Natsu suggested, "Practicing is my favourite part anyway."

Lucy laughed, "Mr. Dragneel, you are _insatiable_."

"I am!" Natsu agreed, "I just can't help myself. I am the luckiest man on Earthland."

She squeezed his back, "I would disagree. _We're_ the luckiest people in the world to have _you_. We don't tell you that enough…but you're amazing, Natsu. You hold this family together…I love you so much."

He kissed her deeply, both of them aware of the increasing activity outside their cabin. It was time to get up.

"What's on the agenda today?" Lucy asked, pressing last minute light kisses all over his face.

"We'll have breakfast," Natsu said softly, "Then maybe have a family beach day. There's a talent show after supper."

"That sounds like fun," Lucy agreed, "Although I'm not sure you'll get any of the kids to perform."

"That's fine," Natsu chuckled, "I'm sure I could get some of them to go up if I plotted hard enough."

Lucy laughed. Leave it to Natsu. She could only imagine the plans running through his head.

"But first," Lucy sighed heavily after another heated kiss, "I guess we need to get out of bed."

Natsu kissed her again on the forehead, "Take your time. I'll go check on the kids and make sure everyone is doing okay. We'll wait for you before we start eating."

"Or," she said seductively, rolling out of his grip. She shed her nightgown to the floor, "They'll just go ahead and eat because you and I are missing and aren't there to tell them to wait for everyone to get to the table...and you could come take a shower with me."

Natsu's eyes bulged from his head as he watched Lucy walk away, buck naked, for the shower.

 _Bacon be damned._

Natsu left the bed too, shedding his clothes as he followed her.

* * *

Natsu and Lucy arrived to breakfast when the rest of the family was almost done.

"You're late this morning," Rogue commented, immediately shaking a finger, "And we _don't want to know_. Please don't tell us why."

"You'd be right with your guess," Natsu said nonchalantly. He glanced up as everyone around him started to groan and throw their napkins at him, "What?"

When Lucy's face went red, Laki just laughed.

With breakfast now over, everyone headed down to the beach. It was an immaculate day. The sun was shining brightly. The sky was a gorgeous blue.

Lark was working overtime to make sure he was showing his goofy side to make up for scaring his brothers and Daisuke earlier that morning. The purple-haired girl from yesterday stopped to watch him play with his brothers. Lark grinned at her, but he was in the water with the other boys, launching them over his head into deeper water. They'd have to find another time to flirt.

"Me too, Lark!" Brielle was yelling, "Don't forget me!"

"Sorry, baby girl - the drop off is too close and it'll be way over your head!" Lark called to her, "You have to stay where the water touches your belly button until you pass your swimming lessons!"

Brielle pouted. Lark made a face at her before launching Connor into the air, the boy falling about 3 feet away into the water.

"He's such a kid," Aki sighed, leaning back onto her towel between Daisuke and Sora.

Daisuke continued to watch his friend quietly. Whatever had happened to make Lark so upset this morning, there were seemingly no after effects now. Sora watched how closely Daisuke kept an eye on Lark. His nose was slightly red, but he didn't say anything about it, even after Laki fussed over it.

Lucy and Natsu had a canoe and were paddling casually nearby where Lark was launching the younger kids. On the other side, Rogue and Laki paddled a second canoe. Rogue kept 'accidentally' splashing Natsu with 'slips' of his paddle.

"THAT'S IT, ASSHOLE!" Natsu yelled, bailing off the edge of the canoe. Both Laki and Lucy started screaming as the canoes rocked violently back and forth at the disruption of Natsu hitting the water. Realizing the canoe would capsize if he didn't bail too, Rogue dove off the the opposite side and began to swim away from the ladies. Natsu started plowing through the water to catch up to Rogue, a crazy water fight ensuing. Lucy and Laki screamed as they struggled to balance their boats, killing themselves laughing.

Lark pushed back the younger kids as Rogue and Natsu grappled with each other toward the shore. Lucy and Laki paddled their canoes a bit deeper, breaking into new gales of laughter when they couldn't get their canoes to go in the right direction.

"Maybe we should go play a little further down the beach," Daisuke suggested, helping Brielle up from where she'd fallen in the water during the chaos.

Other beach-goers moved out of the immediate water zone where Rogue and Natsu were wrestling. The two men were undeterred, rarely having a chance to really duke it out at work.

"Good idea," Aki agreed.

* * *

Jellal and Erza joined Gray and Juvia at the beach.

"You got in late last night," Gray commented, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

"But we slept well because of it," Juvia was quick to add, "Thank you for taking the night shift."

"Sorry," Jellal murmured, "Erik had something rather serious to discuss with me."

The other three watched him, waiting for him to continue, but none of them were surprised when he didn't elaborate.

"No problems yesterday?" Erza asked.

"Well," Gray said slowly, glancing at Lark, who was making a sand castle with Brielle and Megumi, "I wouldn't say that. Whatever is bothering the oldest kid isn't letting up just because he's on vacation."

Jellal nodded, not responding as he eyed the oldest Dragneel. His stare was not lost on Gray. Jellal definitely knew something the other Angels didn't.

* * *

Lark put the finishing touches on the top of the castle with dandelions that Brielle had brought from the nearest grassy patch.

"Done!" he announced as he, Brielle, and Megumi stood back to admire their work.

"Oh, it is _lovely_!" Sora exclaimed, "What a good brother you are!"

"Shut up, Sora," Lark muttered, turning a bit red.

"Lunch is ready!" Lucy called. She and Laki had returned to the cabins about an hour earlier to make sandwiches for everyone.

"LUNCH!" Natsu yelled, leading the charge of Dragneel boys toward the cabins.

The beach had thinned out quite a bit, most of Akane's guests also having returned to their cabins for lunch time.

"Coming?" Daisuke asked as he passed Lark, Aki by his side.

"Yeah," Lark confirmed, "Brielle and I are just finishing up. We'll be right there."

Daisuke and Aki continued on their way as Lark debated how he felt about them getting closer. Daisuke was his best friend, but Aki was his sister. If something went wrong, it could be pretty bad for all of them. Of course, they weren't dating yet. So far, it was just flirtation. And he really couldn't lecture them about that.

"We need the moat to have water," Brielle declared, noting their empty moat and disrupting Lark's thoughts.

"Okay," Lark said, "Dig it with your hands like this."

He looked up as Brielle went to work, noting the dark purple-haired girl that he'd noticed a couple times watching them. In the daylight, he could clearly pick out a white strip of hair in her bangs.

"That's a nice castle," she said sweetly, "Is that your daughter?"

Lark's eyes widened, "What? No! She's my sister!"

The girl giggled, coming closer, "I've been watching you work with those two little girls all morning on it. You were awfully good with them."

Lark shrugged, "I guess that's what happens when you have a lot of siblings."

He turned, glancing at Brielle to make sure she was okay. She was happily digging the trench deeper and closer to the ocean edge so the moat would fill with water.

"I need clean water!" she called, grabbing the bucket and running into the water.

"Not too deep!" Lark reminded her, "Only as deep as your belly button!"

"I know!" she yelled back.

"I'm Mary Hughes," the girl said, diverting Lark's thoughts back to her.

Lark stood up, offering his hand.

"Lark," he replied.

She reached for his hand, shaking it slightly, but when he went to withdraw his hand, she held on.

"You're cute, Lark," she said bluntly.

He blushed. He was used to girls liking him, but it was rare for anyone to hold his attention the way Mary was holding his at the moment. She relaxed her grip, eyeing him.

"You're not so bad yourself, Mary!" he shot her one of his best grins.

"I saw you at the dance last night," Mary continued, "That blue-haired girl…who is she?"

"Sora?" Lark asked, "One of my best friends."

"But not your girlfriend," Mary stated.

"No," Lark shook his head, "We're just friends."

Mary ran a finger down Lark's biceps, "Maybe tonight while the old people are watching the talent show, you and I can go find something fun to do."

Lark didn't know what it was about this girl, but there was a lump in his throat as she trailed her fingers down his arms again on both sides, giving him goosebumps.

"I'll be around," Lark promised, "I have to take my sister back to the cabins now. Lunch is ready. But I'll watch for you."

He admired her bikini-clad body momentarily, smiling sweetly at him.

"Yeah...we should definitely go find something fun to do tonight," he murmured.

She blushed, "Or...if you're not busy now..."

Lark was only half-listening as he turned to check on Brielle again. He hadn't heard her usual running commentary when she was building something for a few minutes now. Instantly, alarm gripped his body when he didn't see her.

"Brielle!" he yelled.

"You could skip lunch," Mary suggested, reaching for him again.

Lark dodged her, running for the waterfront, "BRIELLE! This isn't funny! Where are you?"

There was no answer. Lark could feel the dread spread through his body as he glanced wildly around. That's when he saw the bucket Brielle had been using...floating on the surface of the water.

* * *

The Dragneels and the Cheneys put three picnic tables together so that they could all sit together. The kids' mouths watered as they saw the feast Lucy and Laki had prepared being laid out on a different table for a buffet-style picnic - including Brielle's box of Wagon Wheels.

"That looks so good!" Daisuke grinned.

"Where's Brielle?" Lucy asked, "She was looking forward to sandwiches and Wagon Wheels."

"Lark said he and Brielle were coming," Aki said, glancing back at the lineup behind her, "But they're not here yet."

Natsu frowned. Had it been Lark alone, he probably wouldn't worry, but Lark would never be late if he had Brielle with him, "I'll go check on them."

"I'll go!" Sora volunteered.

He was about to refuse when Connor accidentally backed up from getting his plate and knocked over the platter Natsu was carrying to the table, everything falling into the dirt. Lucy's eyes widened. Her hands were full of condiments for the sandwiches. There went lunch.

Natsu cringed, "Oops. I'm sorry."

Lucy smiled at him, "We have another platter and we can put leftover ingredients in the middle of the table. Once the pre-made sandwiches are gone, people can make their own sandwiches...but maybe I'll put these down on the table and help you clean that up. It kinda looks like a 2-person job."

Natsu glanced at enormous mess. He nodded at Sora, "We'll take you up on that if you'd please go find Lark and Brielle. Thanks Sora."

He got down on his knees to help clean up the mess.

Setting aside her partially filled plate of food, Sora started to walk for the beach, figuring they'd probably run into each other part-way.

She frowned as she continued walking and it became apparent Lark and Brielle had not been on their way back to the camp. It was only a 5 minute walk. Where in the heck were they?

A deep feeling of dread spread through her as she approached the beach. Most people had moved on for lunch, but there was a definite crowd at the water...right where the Dragneels and Cheneys had played all morning. And there was a lot of shouting.

Sora began to run.

Behind her, Gray also moved faster. Something was wrong. Beyond wrong.

* * *

"BRIELLE!" Lark screamed.

He crashed into the water, diving in past the drop off line where he'd seen the bucket. He opened his eyes, thankful for the crystal-blue waters of Akane Beach. His visibility was good, but he couldn't see her. He swam to the surface, sucking in a breath before diving under again. He was starting to panic as he realized the slight current. The tide was changing.

Shooting up to the surface again, he let out a strangled, "BRIELLE!" He turned around in a circle, looking for a sign…any sign. The few beach goers left were standing up, watching Lark as he frantically dove again, swimming through the water as fast as he could. There were very few weeds in the water. Sand dollars dotted the sandy bottom, but he couldn't see her at all. Moving into the current, he let it carry him, fervently praying that he would catch sight of her.

He swam to the surface again, once again screaming her name. Other beach goers had entered the water up to their knees, trying to understand Lark's panic.

Lark's blood drained from his face as he saw the Angel of Death descend from Heaven. Her long, reddish hair flailed in the air as she settled over a spot about 30 feet away from Lark. Her face displayed sadness as she descended into the water.

"NO!" he screamed, "Oh my Mavis! NO!"

He dove into the water again, directly to the spot where he'd seen the Angel. He could feel his breath getting short, but time was shorter.

He saw her. Brielle was on the bottom of the ocean floor, her eyes closed. Lark pushed himself through the water, reaching her just as the Angel went to grab her. He enclosed his arms around her tiny waist and used the bottom of the ocean to push himself upward.

As he broke the surface, he forgot to take his own breath, lifting Brielle's lifeless body into the air.

"BREATHE!" he screamed.

Other beach-goers were crashing into the water now to help him. He swam for the shore, one arm tightly wound around her small waist.

"I'll carry her!" a man yelled, rushing toward them.

"NO!" Lark screamed.

He pushed through the good Samaritan's way, rushing for the shore. Lark had spent the last 2 summers training to be a lifeguard and his training now took over. He had to get her to the shore...she had to _breathe._ Laying Brielle down, Lark went straight to work, checking for a pulse. There wasn't one. Brielle wasn't breathing either.

"I can do CPR!" a woman yelled, rushing in beside Lark.

"BACK OFF!" Lark screamed, pushing at her.

He leaned over Brielle, tears streaming from his eyes as he tilted her head and breathed into her mouth. Using two fingers, he found the compression area on her chest and pressed into her.

"1 – 2 – 3 – 4 -5 – BREATHE!" his tear-choked voice said out loud. He finished his 30 compressions, then breathed into her again, "C'mon Brielle!"

"Let us help you!" the woman told him, "I'm a trained ambulance attendant!"

"I SAID BACK OFF!" Lark screamed, going back to his chest compressions.

The Angel of Death settled beside him, trying to send a wave of peace through him. Lark had seen Angels do this 1000 times. The comfort wave was meant to help a person accept what was happening and be at peace with it, but he took no comfort at all as he finished his 2nd set of compressions and went to breathe for her again.

"She's gone!" A man in the crowd said solemnly.

"SHE'S NOT GONE!" Lark bellowed, sniffing back his tears as he finished his next set of compressions.

The Angel of Death reached for him again, trying to send another wave of comfort.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Lark screamed at her, re-doubling his efforts.

The man and woman exchanged glances. Nobody was even near Brielle. Lark hadn't let anyone get anywhere close to her.

At that moment, Sora pushed through the crowd, her hands immediately covering her mouth as she realized what was happening. Tears sprang to her eyes.

"YOU CAN'T HAVE HER!" Lark yelled at the Angel again, "GO AWAY! YOU'RE NOT TAKING BRIELLE!"

People were on their cell phones, calling for emergency help. Lark vaguely heard someone say they would try to track down the parents at the campgrounds.

"Their names are Natsu and Lucy Dragneel," Sora choked out, then gave exact directions on how to find them.

Gray stared at the scene, punching off a text to the other Angels. He made eye contact with the Angel of Death. It was someone he'd met many times. She had spent a bit of time with Crime Sorciere upon arriving in Heaven. Their eyes met, Gray's eyes displaying his horror. Her eyes pleaded for Gray to understand...she had to do her job.

Sora couldn't take her eyes off of Lark and Brielle. He was screaming at something - his words unintelligible, but he was working tirelessly at his CPR efforts, determined to revive his little sister.

"C'MON BRIELLE!" Lark screamed.

He finished another set of compressions and breathed for her again.

"LEAVE!" he told the Angel, "I ALREADY TOLD YOU – _YOU CAN'T HAVE HER!"_

From the beach, Sora didn't understand anything that was going on. Lark was screaming random things that made no sense, staring at one spot in particular for a very long moment...then suddenly, his face changed.

The Angel stooped beside Brielle, making direct eye contact with Lark. He stared her down, his defiance bright in his eyes. He saw a flash of recognition in her face as she stared at him, almost like she knew him. Understanding passed between them. She nodded to him, laying a hand on Brielle's forehead. Lark's initial response was to panic even more, but he realized by the expression on her face, the Angel was not taking Brielle…she was healing her.

"Thank you," Lark said under his breath as the Angel removed her hand.

The Angel smiled at him, then glowed as she disappeared.

He stopped to feel Brielle's wrist for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there.

"I've got a pulse!" he exclaimed.

A murmur passed through the crowd as Brielle coughed, large amounts of water gushing out of her mouth. Lark turned her to her side as she started throwing up.

The crowd started clapping, but his panic was far from gone. He didn't even notice Sora had joined him at his side, nor Mary slinking away from the crowd.

Lark collapsed beside Brielle, sobs of utter relief wracking his entire body as he held her close to him.

"She's okay! She's okay, right?" Sora asked him. She was panicking, her chest heaving as she regarded Lark still on the ground with Brielle cradled in his arms.

"Talk to me, Bri," he choked out, barely even noticing Sora, "Tell me you're okay."

Brielle's head rolled a bit. She was still unconscious, but she was coughing violently.

The crowd parted, allowing the emergency personnel through. Sora looked up, then back at Lark, who still held Brielle tightly to his body.

"We need to get her to a hospital," the ambulance attendant told him.

Lark was grasping Brielle tightly, but he hesitantly passed her to the waiting personnel's arms. The Angel of Death was gone…Brielle was going to be okay. He could let them take over now.

"You did well," the woman with the ambulance training said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "You saved her life."

Lark couldn't answer her, collapsing back down to his knees. Sobs wracked his body as the enormity of the situation hit him full force. He had just stared down an Angel of Death. Brielle had drowned.

Sora jumped to catch him. He could vaguely hear the frantic screams of his parents and siblings rushing the beach, just as he blacked completely out.

* * *

He could hear the voices around him, but he couldn't seem to open his eyes. They were so heavy. He recognized that someone was holding his hand. It was soft and gentle. He tried to squeeze it, but found that he had no muscle strength.

"He's been out for awhile now. I thought the doctors said he's okay…he just went into shock."

 _Sora?_

"He'll wake up soon," another voice murmured, "Lark never stays down long."

 _Daisuke._

He tried again to open his eyes, cringing as he realized how bright the light was.

"Lark!"

It _was_ Sora. She leaned over top of his face now, a half-smile on her face.

"Sora," Lark managed to squeak out.

"You're okay," Daisuke told him from his other side.

"Where am I?" Lark asked, trying to adjust his eyes to the light.

"We're at the hospital," Rogue told him, standing up from the chair beside the bed, "You're okay though."

"Hospital?" Lark asked, shaking his head, trying to remember.

Rogue was on the phone, "He just woke up."

Moments later, the still-confused Lark found himself buried in his siblings' arms. They were all there. Everybody but Brielle.

 _Brielle._

"Brielle!" Lark yelled, bolting upright, "Where is she? Where's Brielle?"

"She's fine!" Connor laughed, "She's in another room. Doctors are checking her to make sure she's okay."

"She _is_ okay, right?" Lark asked.

"She's fine," Aki assured him, "You saved her life by getting to her right away."

Lark frowned. In his mind's eye, it had been forever between the time he realized she was missing and the time he finally felt her pulse.

 _The Angel_ , he realized. _She must have reversed any damage_.

"Where's Mom and Dad?" he asked, slumping back into his pillow.

"They're talking to the doctor," Rogue told him, "Brielle has no symptoms of drowning, but there were dozens of witnesses that say she was in big trouble and that you actually worked on her for several minutes. It's a miracle, really."

Lark felt a tear of pure relief slide down his face.

"Okay, all of you!" Lucy called from the door, "Out! We need our turn with Lark, please!"

The siblings, Rogue, Daisuke, and Sora all filed out of the door.

Lark was looking at his hands, tears welling up in his eyes. His parents stood at the door, watching his face.

"Lark…" Natsu began.

Lark cringed, waiting for the onslaught of how his irresponsibility had nearly cost Brielle her life.

"I'm sorry!" he choked out, the tears spilling over onto his face. He began to shake, "I never meant to take my eyes off her…suddenly, she was gone…and I -"

"Lark!" Lucy cried out, running to his bedside. She slid behind him on the bed and pulled his head to her chest, holding him close as he came undone.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Natsu sat on the other side of Lark, rubbing his shoulder.

"Nobody blames you," Natsu said soothingly, "Brielle is fine. The doctors can't find any evidence at all that she drowned. You didn't break any ribs during CPR...in fact, there's not even signs that she stopped breathing."

"She _wasn't_ breathing!" Lark yelped, "There was no pulse! I just kept going with the CPR, even when people started to say -"

"She's fine," Lucy repeated, "And you're fine. Both of you are fine."

She nodded to Natsu. Natsu immediately got off the bed and disappeared from the room. Lark needed to see Brielle for himself.

"I am really proud of you," Lucy whispered, stroking his blonde hair. He was still heaving, but the tears had slowed.

A moment later, Natsu appeared at the door, Brielle in his arms. Brielle struggled to get down, immediately bouncing on the bed to get to her brother.

Lark shook loose of Lucy's arms, grabbing his sister and holding her as close as he could, his tears streaming down his face once again.

"Lark?" Brielle asked, "Why are you crying?"

"I'm okay," he lied, "I'm just really glad nothing bad happened."

 _Something bad did_ _happen,_ he knew. _Brielle had been marked for death. And she had actually drowned. But the Angel of Death...she didn't take her._

* * *

"That was too close," Jellal said in a low voice. He, Erza, Gray and Juvia were standing on the roof of the hospital.

"That was an Angel of Death I saw when I got to the beach," Gray said, his voice reflecting his deep state of thought, "Brielle was meant to die."

"No!" Juvia covered her mouth with her hands, "Then how –?"

They were watching the entire Dragneel family leave the hospital, everyone huddled closely. Lark held onto Brielle's hand as they walked. All signs of tears were gone now.

"That boy is special," Erza concluded, "Not only can he can see Angels..."

"But somehow he can intervene," Gray finished the thought.

Jellal said nothing, echoes of his conversation with Erik reverberating through his head. Between that and the fact that Lark was more special than the other Angels knew, Jellal held more secrets than he could count. He closed his eyes, offering a silent prayer for what was yet to come.

* * *

"HAPPY! You've already ruined my drapes and my couch! _Leave my desk alone!"_ Mira thundered. The exceed was driving her insane. She needed to get him reassigned to a new family on Earthland as soon as possible.

The Angel of Death that had been sent for Brielle appeared in the office to check in after her mission. Mira watched as she scratched out Brielle's name in the log, writing FAILED in the margin.

"Milliana..." Mirajane breathed, "What just happened?"

Milliana's eyes went wide, "OH KITTY!"

She crossed over to Happy, picking him and holding him close to her chest. Happy's cheeks bulged out as she squeezed him. He struggled, trying to wiggle out of her arms.

"Milliana!" Mira repeated, placing a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to gain her undivided attention, "Weren't you on a mission? Where's the new Angel?"

"I couldn't take her," Milliana replied, still squeezing Happy tightly as she sat down at the desk, "I got a direct order to stop."

"A direct order?" Mira asked, confused.

Milliana nodded, "I was sent to take Brielle Dragneel. But I was told to stop, so I did. But don't worry - I reversed the damage. The little girl won't even remember the incident by tomorrow."

"Brielle?" Happy asked in a strangled voice...partly because he was literally being strangled, partly because someone he loved very much had been called Home, "You were there to take Brielle?"

Mira felt shame cross her face. She wasn't sure how to tell Happy, so she hadn't. Mira herself had been very upset when she saw the name appear in her Log Book.

"But I didn't," Milliana repeated, "I was told to stop."

Mirajane was shaking her head. Angels of Death didn't hesitate. They rarely got orders to stop their missions, "Who...who told you to stop?"

"The boy!" Milliana said brightly, patting Happy so hard on the head that his head was bouncing, "Mavis's son."

Both Happy and Mira took a deep breath...Mira because she was shell-shocked at what Milliana had just said...Happy because Millianna had relaxed her grip for a moment.

"How do you know that he was Mavis's son?" Mira asked slowly.

Milliana shrugged, "I could see it when I looked into his eyes. Plus, he has that glowy thingy happening to him. It's very different than the average Angel's glow. Normal Angels have a golden-ish glow. That boy's glow is more goldy-silvery-blue. There's only one other Angel in Heaven that has that type of glowy thingy. That's how I know he's Mavis's boy. Plus, he totally looks like her."

Mira was shaking her head in disbelief. Thankfully, Milliana's attention span was too short to comprehend the significance of what had just happened.

Mira rounded the desk, forcing the young girl's attention up to her eyes. She waved her hand, erasing Milliana's memories of the past hour. Instantly, Milliana dropped Happy to the ground. The exceed lost no time in hiding behind Mira's desk, silently cursing himself for the scratch marks on the side that left a bit of a hole. When Milliana woke up from her dazed post-memory-erasure, she would still want to pet Happy. He would be visible if Milliana looked hard enough.

Milliana shook her head, regaining her composure, then grinned, "How'd I get here?"

"Oh, we've been talking all afternoon, Milli!" Mira exclaimed, "You were just telling me you enjoyed the tea that I got last time I was on Earthland."

She gestured to the empty tea cups on the table, that actually belonged to herself and Happy.

Milliana shrugged, "Well, gotta go, Mira! Nice talking to you!"

"You too, Milli!" Mira called after her, "Come again soon!"

Milliana skipped out the door.

Happy crawled out from underneath the desk slowly, peering around the corner to be sure Milliana was actually gone.

"You sent Milliana to go get Brielle," Happy stated, his eyes heavy with tears.

"I'm sorry, Happy...you know how it works...the names appear on this page when they're close to death," Mira picked him up, stroking his back to calm him, "I have no control over what names appear."

"She recognized Lark as Mavis's son," he said slowly, working to calm himself down.

"Yeah," Mira said, a worried look crossing her face, "But I erased her memory of it. How would you like to help me erase all evidence that Brielle was ever supposed to be claimed?"

"Aye sir!" Happy saluted.

Mira nodded to him, going to her lacrimaputer, "And when we're done erasing the incident, we need to go talk to Master, and then Crime Sorciere."


	6. Chapter 6

The festival was in full swing. A talent show was exhibited on stage. Guests were invited to showcase their talents in front of the other guests. If people had no interest in that, there were booths everywhere with various games.

Connor, Hansuke, Mieske and Haru had found the same group of boys that they'd been playing with the night before and were happily preoccupied. Aki, Aimi, Megumi and Sora were checking out booths together, Brielle in tow. Natsu and Lucy were watching the talent show with Rogue and Laki. Daisuke and Lark were just wandering.

"You're really quiet tonight," Daisuke commented.

"It's been a hard day," Lark replied, stopping to examine some hand-made bracelets.

"I'm glad you're both okay," Daisuke said with one hand on Lark's shoulder, "We were all scared there for awhile."

"I still don't completely understand..." Lark murmured, "She wasn't breathing..."

"Maybe there's some things we aren't meant to understand," Daisuke replied.

Lark nodded, wishing his friend had any inclination as to how true his words were, "I need to get out of here for awhile. It's too crowded. My head can't process everything."

Daisuke was watching the girls at the booth to their right, "Sora hasn't been herself all afternoon either. She's been very quiet."

Daisuke saw the look of pain in Lark's eyes. He'd seen it before, but it was avidly noticeable this time.

"Go for a walk," he told him, "I'll tell Natsu and Lucy where you are if they ask. Take all the time you need."

Lark nodded his thanks.

Daisuke watched Lark go, then turned back to the party, joining Sora and Aki and the other girls at their booth.

* * *

"Take those boxes down to the archive," Sting told Romeo, tossing him the keys to open the door, "Then you're good to go for the night."

Romeo muttered under his breath as he gathered up the boxes in question and placed them on a dolly. It was the worst part about being the rookie – he got stuck with all the grunt work.

He took the elevator down the stairs, since it would a catastrophe if he were to dump the 5 boxes trying to take the stairs. At this time of night, the entire floor would be empty. It was creepy during the day, between the evidence room and the long corridors of nothing but boxes. Not to mention the morgue where bodies that needed to be examined were kept. He would need to turn on lights as he went since it was after hours.

He found the hallways light when he stepped off the elevator, making sure he got his dolly off before the door closed. He glanced down the hall that lead to the morgue, cringing as he made quick time going the opposite direction.

Thankfully, the archive door wasn't far and he reached it quickly. He fumbled with the keys, trying to select that one that Sting had shown him and cursing when he realized he couldn't tell the keys apart. There were only seven – he'd just have to try them one by one.

He let go of his grip of the dolly and went to work, trying the different keys when he heard the creak. Romeo paused, not even daring to breathe.

 _It's your imagination, dumbass._

His pep talk to himself didn't help much, so he doubled his efforts in locating the proper key.

He heard the bang against metal entirely too close to him. Instantly, the hair on his neck stood up. He wondered briefly how angry Sting would be if he just left the boxes and came to put them away the next day.

"Who's there?" he called.

He shook his head. He was being ridiculous. He went for the fourth key, letting out an excited "YES!" as it slid into the lock and opened the door.

He was hurrying, regardless of the fact that he knew it was stupid to think anyone was down there. He grabbed the dolly and began to push it in.

"ROMEO!" someone yelled in his ear.

Romeo screamed, pushing the dolly over and whirled around, fully intending to beat the crap out of whoever was there. His fist landed in something firm, but he heard the satisfying 'oooomph' as his perpetrator fell to the ground, clutching his stomach.

"Sting, you asshole!" Romeo yelled, "Did you WANT to die?"

Sting was laughing as he shook off the initial pain of being punched in the gut, "I wish someone else could have seen your face! Priceless!"

Romeo glanced back at the dolly, horrified as he realized two of the five boxes had been knocked over.

"Crap."

Sting stood up, shaking his head, "Well, it was my fault too. I'll help you clean up. Here. I'll go put these other boxes away, you start organizing the two that spilled. Maybe we'll get lucky and it will mostly be in order."

Romeo sighed, sitting down on the ground beside the spilled boxes. He picked up the first papers, reading the date so that he could properly re-file it.

"8-Island burns down," he read out loud, "May 9 – Magnolia's popular restaurant landmark, '8-Island' burned down to ashes today. Police are stumped as to the cause of the fire…"

It was a news article. Romeo knew better than to read the full thing. The archives were confidential and unless a cop had clearance, they weren't allowed to read things at will. He slipped it into the proper date tab and picked up the next piece.

"Heartfilia Heir Resurfaces: Her Untold Story."

Romeo stared at the article, his eyes narrowing.

"Good to see you're working hard," Sting quipped, stooping down to start sorting the other box, "You're not supposed to read those, you know."

"That's Natsu's wife," Romeo said, pointing to the picture in the article.

"Yes," Sting said, "It was before Natsu and Lucy were together."

Romeo frowned, as a couple photos fell out of his hand from behind the article. The first was a picture of a car, literally bent in half as though it had wrapped around a telephone pole. Another photo showed the aftermath of the dock. It was completely demolished, yet apparently, only two people had died out of the entire incident.

He frowned as Sting snatched the article from his hand, placing it back in the box.

"You aren't supposed to be looking at these things," Sting reminded him.

"I know," Romeo admitted, "It's just so crazy...the entire story. When I was training, this was a case they brought up regarding stalkers. I knew Lucy had a traumatic past, but I didn't know _this_ was the traumatic past. A lot of notorious criminals were jailed because of this incident."

Sting nodded, "It's something Lucy prefers to leave in the past. Don't ever mention it to her."

Romeo nodded, then paused as another picture fell from the file. It was of Juvia Lockser, surrounded by Gajeel, Levy, a red-headed woman, and Lucy, taken at the old 8-Island restaurant before it burned to the ground.

"What is it?" Sting asked, noticing Romeo's eyebrows furrow as he squinted to look closer at the photo.

"That hand on Lucy's shoulder," Romeo said slowly. The picture was cut off, not actually showing the face belonging to the hand.

Sting glanced at him, not understanding.

"The position of the scar on that hand," Romeo continued, "That's Natsu. Natsu was at 8-Island with Juvia?"

Sting shrugged, "Looks like it."

"Sting...Natsu and Lucy didn't meet until after 8-Island burned down," Romeo glanced up at Sting, his eyes questioning, "And he always said he didn't know Juvia Lockser."

Sting snatched the picture from Romeo, glancing at it briefly before shoving it into the file folder, "It's probably a coincidence. You aren't supposed to be reading these files."

The boxes were cleaned up. Sting loaded them on the dolly, willing his pounding heart to slow down a bit. Romeo's eyes were full of confusion, both to the picture he just saw and Sting's gruff way of ending the conversation.

"What do you say we get these put away and get out of here?" Sting asked brightly, "My wife and I made up and I _really_ want to go home! _"_

Romeo didn't have to be told twice, dismissing his observation. He was happy to leave the entire floor behind for the night and go home. Plus, he was hoping to make up with Chelia. Maybe by now, she'd cooled off a bit and they could go back to being best friends.

* * *

Natsu laughed out loud as his arm brought Rogue's down to the table, "I win!"

"Okay, big shot!" Rogue challenged, "A deal is a deal…what's the price?"

Natsu narrowed his eyes, grinning evilly, "You need to sing a song for talent night."

Rogue choked on his beer. Laki tried to hide her grin as she grabbed a napkin, mopping up the mess.

"It was an arm wrestle...we weren't making that kind of bet!" Rogue argued.

"We said whoever wins gets to name their price," Natsu shot back.

Rogue glanced at the stage. A woman was up there, spinning paper plates on her various body parts using straws, "You're kidding, right?"

Natsu remained firm in his stance, staring Rogue down with triumphant eyes.

Rogue let out a deep sigh, swigging the rest of his beer.

"Rogue! You're not really going to sing, are you?" Laki asked in alarm.

Lucy keeled over laughing.

"I'm going to issue a challenge," Rogue stated, "One more arm wrestle. You win, I'll get up there and sing two songs. I win, you're coming with me."

Natsu nodded curtly, assuming the position.

The Dragneel boys caught wind of that conversation, gathering around to cheer for their dad with their new friends.

"Kill 'em, Dad!" Mieske exclaimed.

"I'm voting for Uncle Rogue!" Hansuke laughed, "I wanna see Dad sing!"

The kids started yelling their votes out, but Natsu was focused, locking eyes with Rogue as they firmly clasped their fists together.

"Can you believe after all these years," Lucy whispered to Laki, "that our men _still_ have biceps like that? I could watch them wrestle all night!"

Laki giggled as the two women clanked their beer bottles together.

"Say the word, Luce!" Natsu demanded, keeping his eyes locked with Rogue.

Lucy straightened up, assuming her very serious role of officiate.

"On the count of 3!" she announced, "1…2…3…GO!"

Both men started pushing at the other's arm…both with ample motivation to win.

"C'mon Daddy!" Brielle yelled, jumping up and down.

" _My_ daddy's going to win!" Megumi yelled from beside her.

Daisuke and Sora joined the rowdy crowd, having just strolled around the grounds together. Sora had assured him she was okay, but definitely shaken after the day's events. She was worried about Lark too. Daisuke wasn't convinced she was fine. She's smiled and assured him she was fine when he asked, but there was no light in her eyes.

The yelling got louder as Rogue seemed to be getting the upper hand. Natsu's wrist was tiring. He pushed back with renewed effort, Rogue's wrist being forced backward.

Lucy leaned over Natsu's shoulder, whispering into his ear so that she blew into it slightly, "I wanna hear my dragon sing."

Natsu's eyes widened as he turned to look at his wife. Rogue slammed Natsu's arm down to the table. The kids cheered, seemingly not actually caring who won at all.

"Okay, buddy," Natsu said good-naturedly, "Let's go pick a song."

"Daddy – you should sing Bad Boys!" Aimi cried out.

Lucy and Laki doubled over laughing at the suggestion, imagining Rogue and Natsu singing that song in front of a crowd.

Natsu turned to Lucy, giving her a faux-scowl, "I'll deal with _you_ later."

* * *

Lucy and Laki and 10 excited kids sat, staring at the stage, awaiting the arrival of their favourite cops. It had been 20 minutes since they'd disappeared, citing that they had to 'get ready'. The kids were excitedly discussing what that could possibly mean. In the meantime, there was a girl up on the stage, dancing to an upbeat song.

The dancer bowed amidst cheering from the crowd and she left the stage.

"Next!" the announcer exclaimed, "We have the cop from last night, Natsu Dragneel, and his superior officer, Rogue Cheney, performing a very special song for you! Let's hear it for them!"

The crowd clapped politely. Natsu's shout of "ROGUE! You're not THAT superior to me!" was heard loud and clear from behind the stage. The music started. Natsu and Rogue somersaulted onto the stage from opposite sides, landing on their knees facing the crowd.

 _BAD BOYS BAD BOYS!_

they both sang out

 _Whatcha want, watcha want_  
 _Whatcha gonna do_  
 _When Sheriff Sting come for you_  
 _Tell me_  
 _Whatcha wanna do, whatcha gonna dooo_  
 _Yeaheah"_

The crowd went wild, bursting out in collective laughter. They looked ridiculous. They were garbed in grass skirts, bare-chested with coconut bras. The bicep tattoos that the entire department had gotten to commemorate the orphanage fire were on full display. They ripped off the coconut bras simultaneously as they began to dance.

 _Bad boys, bad boys_

 _Whatcha gonna do_

 _Whatcha gonna do_

 _When they come for you_

Lucy almost passed out from laughing too hard. Seeing that she was in no state to make sure this moment lasted forever, Laki grabbed her phone, pressing record as fast her fingers could get her to the app.

The screaming from the crowd intensified as Natsu started rapping the verse, stomping across the stage as he sang.

 _When you were eight_  
 _And you had bad traits_  
 _You go to school_  
 _And learn the golden rule_  
 _So why are you_  
 _Acting like a bloody fool_  
 _If you get hot_  
 _You must get cool_

It was then that Rogue reappeared on the stage, dousing Natsu with a full bucket of water. The music stopped, Rogue and Natsu staring at each other intensely before both broke out dancing again so they could sing the chorus.

 _Bad boys, Bad Boys...whatcha gonna do?_

Lucy's eyebrows raised as she realized most of the crowd that was screaming their encouragement now were women. Water dripped down her husband's bare chest, flying every which way as he danced. A swell of pride ran through her. Her man was _hot._

"Where in the hell is Lark?" Daisuke yelled to Sora, "He's gonna be so sorry he missed this!"

Sora shook her head, wondering the same thing as Rogue took the stage to rap the second verse.

 _You chuck it on that one_  
 _You chuck it on this one_  
 _You chuck it on your mother and_  
 _You chuck it on your father_  
 _You chuck it on your brother and_  
 _You chuck it on your sister_  
 _You chuck it on that one and_  
 _You chuck it on ME_

With that, Natsu reappeared on stage, another bucket of water in his arms. The music paused. Rogue extended one finger, shaking it back and forth in a ' _don't you dare_ ' fashion. Natsu grinned, facing the crowd and lifting the bucket up as if asking their opinion. Once again, the crowd starting screaming, encouraging Natsu to do it. Natsu faked throwing, looking back at the crowd again for encouragement. Rogue waved him off, turning his back. Natsu chucked the bucket at his back. Rogue turned, sending him a scowl, then they broke out into the chorus again.

 _Bad boys, bad boys_

"Oh Mavis," Laki murmured, still holding her phone up as she slapped her other hand to her forehead.

 _Whatcha gonna do when they come for youuuuuuu!_

Natsu and Rogue hit their knees with the last note, finally finished with the song they'd dared each other to sing for Talent Night. The crowd was screaming, but the Dragneel and Cheney kids made sure to voice their undying support the loudest.

It had been bad…very bad…and they both knew it. Still, the crowd seemed to enjoy the spectacle. They jumped off the stage and headed for their families.

"You _rapped the verses_!" Daisuke exclaimed, "Haven't you ever listened to the song? You're not supposed to _rap the verses!"_

Rogue and Natsu just laughed. They'd thought it sounded kinda cool.

"That was awesome, Daddy!" Brielle grinned, throwing herself into her dad's arms.

"Thanks Muffin!" Natsu grinned, hugging her close. He grinned at his wife, "What do you think, Luce? Am I in the wrong line of work?"

Lucy grimaced, her beer making it pretty hard to hide her emotions, "Let's just say you should definitely keep Magnolia safe for a few more years…in more than one way."

Natsu feigned being hurt by her words.

"I'm not sure which was...more _entertaining_ …the dancing or the singing," Laki commented, kissing her husband's nose.

"But don't take _our_ word for it!" Lucy exclaimed.

"I suppose you recorded that," Natsu said, eyeing his wife.

"Not me!" Lucy said in mock innocence.

Rogue growled as he noted Laki's smug grin. She pressed a button on her cell phone.

"That's getting erased," Rogue told her firmly.

"Sure!" Laki said innocently, "I've got no problem with that."

Rogue and Natsu glanced at each other, wondering why she'd given up the fight that easily. A second later, Rogue's cell phone lit up with a text, then Natsu's. It contained a single line, but both men were beet red with embarrassment.

 _Dudes…there are no words._

"You sent it to Sting?" Rogue exclaimed.

Both Lucy and Laki were laughing again.

Rogue sighed, shaking his head, "We love them, Natsu."

"Yes, we do, Rogue," Natsu agreed, "Yes, we do."

* * *

Sora mouthed the word 'Lark' to Daisuke. He nodded, making the move to join her. It was concerning to him that Lark wasn't back too. Sora held her hand out, gesturing to Daisuke that she was hoping to talk to him alone. Hesitantly, Daisuke nodded again, essentially giving her permission to go find him. But he would go to find _both_ of them if they took too long coming back.

"What is it?" Aki asked, noting the exchange.

"Lark's not back yet. Sora's going to look for him."

Aki frowned, "He's been gone for awhile. Maybe we should go help her."

"He's shaken up after today," Daisuke reminded her, "And actually, Sora is too. It might be good for them to have a good talk on their own."

"Maybe," Aki agreed after a moment.

"We'll give them a few minutes," he told her, "then we'll go find them."

He held out his hand. She blushed, reaching for it. Their fingers intertwined as Aimi and Brielle re-joined them to continue looking at booths.

* * *

"So…can we get past this?" Romeo asked, smiling gently at the pretty red-head across from him at the diner booth.

"I can't help how I feel," Chelia said slowly.

"I know," Romeo apologetically acknowledged, "I'm just not ready. I also don't want to lose you. You're the best friend I've had in a long time."

Chelia looked down at her hands, "I've been friend-zoned."

"I'm sorry," Romeo repeated, "I don't want to tell you I'm okay with it when I'm not."

She nodded, guilt panging Romeo's heart as he recognized a tear drop falling onto the table. Slowly she stood up, dropping some money onto the table for her part of the bill.

"Chelia?" Romeo asked.

"I don't want to tell you I'm okay with it when I'm not either," she said softly. She leaned over, kissing his cheek gently, "Come and find me if you change your mind."

"Chelia!" Romeo whined, "Don't be like that!"

She didn't say another word, exiting the café.

* * *

Sora found Lark in the same place he was the night before. He was lying on the beach, one arm draped over his eyes. There were footprints everywhere on the previously combed beach, much like the night before. She honestly wondered how that happened and made up her mind to ask him if she could get him talking.

She sat down beside him, staring at the waves for a few minutes with her elbows on her knees before he finally spoke to her.

"Are you okay?"

She glanced down at him, realizing he was watching her.

"It was scary," she acknowledged, "I froze. I couldn't move to help you. I couldn't even run to get Natsu and Lucy."

He nodded, sitting up beside her, "I've never been so scared either."

"You were amazing," she said in a low voice, "Your lifeguard classes paid off...you got her out of the water and started CPR right away. But honestly, if you were scared, you weren't showing it. It was more like you were...angry."

He didn't respond. He hadn't thought about being angry, but he supposed it could have been true. There was only one thing crossing his mind at the time...that Angel was _not_ taking Brielle with her.

"There's something bothering me," Sora said softly.

Lark glanced at her, waiting for her to continue.

"You were yelling like you were telling someone off," Sora reached into the sand, finding a small twig to twiddle in her fingers, "You weren't talking to the crowd..."

He remained quiet, unsure of how to answer her.

"You kept yelling, 'you can't have her'," Sora recanted.

Lark sighed. She wasn't asking him directly, but she was clearly hinting to him that she needed to know what happened. She needed answers as much as he did.

He took a deep breath, but no words came out of his mouth. How could explain that? _He was yelling at an Angel of Death - and because he yelled at the Angel, Brielle lived._

Yeah...that didn't sound stupid at all.

The silence between them was awkward. Lark hadn't realized she'd heard him this afternoon. He'd barely noticed she was there at all, he was so focused on saving Brielle. Beside him, Plue nudged his hand. Lark made eye contact with him, the dog's dark eyes soulful and serious. Lark sighed, knowing the dog was telling him to talk to her.

"In that moment," Lark said slowly, "Brielle was slipping away from me. She wasn't breathing. She didn't have a pulse."

Sora felt a solitary tear slide down her face. She knew. Brielle's face had been a sickening white.

"It was a prayers of sorts," Lark said finally, unable to come right out with it.

Two more tears slid down Sora's cheek, following the first one. Plue nudged him again, sitting patiently at his feet. Lark sighed, realizing his half-assed answer was not what Sora needed to hear. Honestly, he knew Plue was right. He needed to talk to someone. Right now, Sora was the closest person he had that might understand a little bit of what he'd been going through. She'd been at the beach too. She knew Brielle was dying...or had died. There was no explanation as to how the doctors found no signs of drowning. She had definitely, _absolutely_ drowned.

He felt a wave of comfort roll through him. He glanced around, checking for Angels that might be in the near vicinity. He couldn't see any. Lark wondered if it was one of the Fairy Tail Angels that always seemed to be following his family. Either way, they too were encouraging him to confide in Sora.

"I can see Angels," he murmured, his head low to his knees so that she couldn't make eye contact with him.

He was terrified of her reaction. Until Natsu and Lucy had adopted him, no one else would even entertain the idea that he could actually see Angels, simply dismissing him with an overactive imagination. Both Lucy and Natsu had been very supportive of Lark from the get-go, denying to social workers that it was necessary to have Lark assessed for schizophrenia and other mental disorders, and instead settling on having him attend therapy with Cana Alberona, just to get them off Lark's back long enough to make the adoption official. They had never said one way or the other whether they believed him.

Cana herself had told Lark that what he was saying was _not_ stupid or wrong. She never outright said she believed him either, but encouraged him that it was one of those things people just didn't understand and people are _afraid_ of what they don't understand. It didn't make what he experienced less true. To this day, Cana was his favourite honourary aunt. He often went to Fairy Tail to see her. They'd connected on a level that he hadn't achieved with anyone else but Lucy.

Lark realized shortly after starting therapy that it was much better to keep his sightings to himself anyway. Once he stopped reporting every Angel he saw, the social workers believed being with Natsu and Lucy was helping him progress. In reality, he couldn't 'stop' seeing the Angels. They were everywhere. But as long as he didn't mention his sightings to other people, people seemed to accept Lark and not bother him about it.

So what he'd just admitted to Sora terrified him. Sora was his best friend from before they'd both found their adoptive parents. If she rejected his statement, he was sure he would shatter completely.

They both felt a wave of comfort pass through them as Sora processed Lark's words. Lark couldn't see the Angel sending it, but now he knew there was definitely one nearby. He murmured his thanks silently as he waited for Sora to react.

At least she wasn't laughing.

"I can see Angels," he repeated, in case she hadn't heard him the first time. He needed her to react. The suspense was killing him.

There was another long moment of silence.

"Just today?" she asked finally, "With the Brielle incident?"

He shook his head, but didn't answer. Anxiety flooded him. He couldn't read her face...of course it would help if he had the courage to actually _look_ at her. Another wave of comfort went through both of them. Lark looked around again, trying to catch any remnants of the 'glow'.

"No," he spat out, realizing he'd been pushed somehow to expel the words, "I see them...often."

Sora nodded. Plue nudged Lark again with his head, urging Lark to go on.

"As in everyday," Lark finished. He looked away as big, crocodile tears welled in his eyes. He was sure she'd freak out now, telling him he had a problem that he needs to see a doctor about.

He was unclear when Sora's body shifted, but suddenly, she threw herself in his arms. They were locked in a tight hug. She buried her face in his chest, partially to save him the embarrassment of showing his tears to her...and partially to keep hers from him. Her fingers clenched the shirt on his back. At first, Lark had no clue what to do. Did that mean she believed him? Did it mean she was scared and was she just trying to offer him comfort and was going to tell his parents he needed mental help the first chance she got? Slowly, his arms encircled her waist as he hugged her back, his chin on the top of her head.

"I believe you," she said simply.

Those three words caused Lark's chest to tighten. He took in a sharp breath, completely unsure how to handle her acceptance. Yet another wave of comfort passed through them both and Lark released his tears. For several moments, they just held each other with no more words. Lark had just heard the only words he'd needed to hear and was thankful for the silence.

* * *

Gray and Juvia were holding hands, watching Lark and Sora's moment.

"I'm not sure it was a great idea to let Sora know about Lark's gift," Gray murmured.

Juvia shook her head, "I'm not sure there was another choice. They're both broken by the events of this morning. They both needed someone to talk to. Lark has been shouldering his secret for a long time...and Sora is confused by what she saw and needs to talk it out. Lark might be the only person who can explain it to her."

"I agree with Juvia," Jellal stated, appearing beside the couple, "He has nightmares. And they're intensifying. It's necessary for him to have _someone_ he can talk to about them. Even if she doesn't fully believe him, he needs someone in his corner."

"Nightmares?" Juvia repeated.

"I'm working on figuring out what they're about," Jella confirmed, "But that might be why he's moody and takes stupid chances. For one thing, he's not getting enough sleep because of the nightmares. Whatever he dreams about is enough to scare him to the point where he doesn't want to sleep."

Gray nodded. Those were his conclusions too.

"How's the rest of the Dragneels?" Gray asked.

"Erza is watching the others at the party. They're all sitting together for now, but someone will come looking for Lark and Sora pretty soon," Jellal was observing the dog, sitting patiently beside Lark and Sora as they hugged.

His eyes widened.

"That's Plue!" he realized.

Gray nodded, "Apparently Lark can see ghost dogs too. At least, I don't _think_ Plue is an exceed."

Plue thumped his tail as he realized the Angels were talking about him.

Juvia agreed, "But it's pretty cool that he still looks after his family even in death rather than moving on to Pet Heaven."

"Lark has a lot more people in his corner than he thinks he does," Gray stated.

"And he has all of us," Juvia added.

"Still," Jellal murmured, glancing back at the teenagers locked together in a tight embrace, "It's good that he's finally talked to someone."

* * *

"We need to head back soon," Sora told Lark. She was still cuddled into his shoulder. Neither had said a word in a long time, "I promised Daisuke we wouldn't be long."

"That's it?" Lark asked, "You aren't going to ask me more? You're just going to accept...what I told you...no questions asked?"

"I probably will ask more questions," Sora said softly, "But I'm satisfied for now. I knew you saw something today. And it makes sense to me that what you saw was an Angel...because it's not unheard of at the site of a near-death incident...and it makes sense to me that you've seen them before...because you weren't afraid. I don't need to know more. Not today. I believe you...we can discuss it another time."

Lark pulled away slightly, so he could look at her, "I can't tell you how much that means to me."

"Nobody else knows?"

Lark shook his head, getting off the ground and offering Sora his hand to pull her up too.

She took his hand, but didn't pull to get up just yet, "Then it's our secret, Lark. I won't tell anyone. Not even Daisuke."

Lark held her hand for a moment before tightening his grip.

"Enough serious talk for today!" Lark announced as he pulled her to her feet, "You have effectively pulled me from my depressive funk! Let's go back to the party for awhile, okay?"

She smiled, "For sure. Laki has a video of something you're going to be _very_ sorry you missed."

"Oh yeah?" Lark asked.

Sora laughed, "OH yeah...but you have to see it for yourself. I couldn't explain it if I tried."

Daisuke and Aki were just leaving the party to find them when Sora and Lark arrived. Erza joined Jellal, Gray and Juvia since everyone they were charged to look after were all sitting at the same table.

"Is it good?" Erza asked, referring to Lark.

"Yeah," Jellal confirmed, "They talked. Now they both feel like they have an ally."

Erza nodded her approval, noting how they sat together, but Lark's attention wasn't on Sora anymore...he was growling at Daisuke and Aki, who were holding hands under the table.

* * *

Dan Straight leaned back on his bed, his head resting on his hands that were hooked behind him. He had managed another visit with his brother today.

Both had been incarcerated for 16 years now. Dan felt that he'd settled into life well. The other inmates no longer targeted him because Dan spent a lot of his time in the gym, making sure that he _couldn't_ be a target. Samuel was in the same prison, but they only saw each other at visitation times. Visitation was set out as a once a month thing. They had grown together as brothers in a way, but Dan knew they'd never be friends. Samuel never hesitated to get into an altercation with another inmate. Often, he was very brutal in the way he dealt with an offending inmate. Just two months ago, he'd beat another inmate to the point where he needed to be hospitalized. Dan and Samuel had no visitation last month.

 _"How are you doing, Shithead?" Samuel had asked upon entering the small, secured room they used for visitation this afternoon._

 _"Great!" Dan exclaimed, "I'm finally out of laundry detail. Seriously...that's the worst place to be. It sucks balls."_

 _"Better than solitary confinement," Samuel muttered._

 _"Yeah, well...maybe if you didn't beat the fuck out of that guy..."_

 _"Shut up, Dan," Samuel advised, "Here...I made you something for your birthday."_

 _Dan looked up, a tear edging his eye. For all his rough exterior, Samuel did care._

 _Dan slowly opened the Kleenex-clad item, his eyes lighting up as he realized it was something that Samuel had taken the time to make in his woodworking classes._

 _It was a simple item...a sculpture-like item made out of wood, but it was detailed in its' chiseling. Samuel had put a lot of work into it. There was a larger figure and a small figure standing together. The larger figure's hand was on the smaller one's head. Samuel hadn't detailed the faces, but Dan was making his own ideas of what it represented._

 _"Thank you," Dan had said. He knew better than to go for a hug. Samuel was better with Dan than he had been, but he would never be a hugging kind of guy._

Dan rolled over, glancing at his new prized possession. If life had been different...if they hadn't had the upbringing they had had and they were raised in good homes, there was a chance that he and Samuel would never have met and never had the chance to connect as brothers. As odd as it was, perhaps it was a good thing they'd both received four consecutive life sentences each.

* * *

 **That last part was meant to be strange and unnerving. Dan is still screwed in the head. I've been singing Bad Boys in my head for 3 weeks! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **~Shana~**

* * *

Message from otakuprincess...

Another great chapter here! This honestly shows the true power of friendship and how loyal people who are close to you can be. It's been nothing but a roller coaster of emotions, but hey, every good story needs drama, right? Some major points here that should be taken in... make sure you find them... and if anyone knows the song from this chapter, I hope you laughed your butt off! I am thinking of drawing this scene considering I can see it in my head... all I'm saying is,... coconut bras! Enjoy... dont forget to leave that love to shana!

Otakuprincess28


	7. Chapter 7

_**HollyNinetales was asking me about how I view the way Angels age. I think that's a pretty reasonable question!**_

 _ **The way I see it, Angels age very slowly in Heaven...because time moves slower. They perform their Heavenly duties and eventually, their souls get tired and they take their places in the stars.**_

 _ **Angels on Earthland age differently. Levy has been with Lucy since she was 8 years old, so she had to alter her appearance in order to keep up to Lucy's image of her as a human being (although maybe that could account for her small stature?) Accordingly, both Levy and Gajeel have to age to keep up appearances as the best friends of Natsu and Lucy in this story. However, at 40, they're still pretty young anyway. Wendy, on the other hand, is an Angel, but she does not appear to humans on a regular basis...so she doesn't age quickly.**_

 _ **Hope that answers the question!**_

 _ **Things are starting to heat up this chapter...posting a day earlier since I'm busy tomorrow. Still actually trying to decipher what day is best for posting. Honestly, I kind of like Thursday. Lemme know what you think!**_

 ** _~Shana~_**

* * *

Lark sighed, glancing at his cell phone again for the time. It was only 6:00 am. Far too early to be up on the weekend. He hadn't had a nightmare, but he hadn't slept well either.

He rolled out of bed as silently as possible and dressed, grabbing his shoes to put on outdoors. The birds were chirping merrily as he laced up. It would be a perfect morning to go for a run.

"Lark?" a voice asked.

Lark turned, noticing his father approach in a jog.

"Hey Dad."

"What are you doing up?" Natsu asked, a smile on his lips, "You couldn't sleep either?"

Lark shook his head.

"It's been awhile since we've had a good run together," Natsu commented.

Lark nodded.

It had been a long time. A long time indeed. Lark gestured toward the road. They smiled at each, then hit the dirt path.

* * *

"What a phenomenal day!" Erza exclaimed, glancing around at the morning sun.

They were following Natsu and Larcade down the dirt path, both jogging at a comfortable pace. Angels didn't require exercise, but it absolutely didn't hurt either.

"Erza," Jellal said quietly.

She glanced at him. The 'look' was crossing his face again. She slowed to a walk, glancing at Natsu and Lark. It would be okay to let them get ahead a little bit. They could always _transport_ to catch up.

Jellal slowed to walk beside her, "I have something to discuss with you."

Her earlier happy morning mood dissipated instantly. She eyed him, waiting expectantly for him to go on.

"When we return to Magnolia," Jellal said slowly, watching her face for signs that he'd better start running, "I'm checking in with Eric. There's a good possibility that I'll need to go away for awhile."

She didn't react. Jellal suspected that she already knew something was up. The look on her face told him as much.

"How long?" she asked finally.

"I don't know," he replied honestly, "It was that conversation I had with Erik…he needs me for a Crime Sorciere mission."

She nodded, resuming her jog to catch up to Natsu and Lark.

"I presume he's leaving someone in your stead. We have a lot of people to protect in Magnolia," she yelled back, then pushed herself faster, blatantly obvious in her efforts to express she was slightly ticked…or more realistically – downright pissed off.

He broke out into a run, trying to catch her.

* * *

Father and son jogged along in silence for awhile, both of them thinking about how going for their morning run used to be routine only a few months back. It had been their 'thing'. But since Happy died and Lark started acting out, a gap had formed between them. The runs became less frequent, then stopped altogether.

"I miss this, Lark," Natsu said finally.

They were following the dirt road toward the gateway to Akane. Both of them had found the perfect pace, running completely in sync with each other.

Lark nodded. Truth be told, he missed it too. He had never had to fight for his bond with Lucy. It came naturally and they barely ever fought. It wasn't as easy with Natsu. In the earlier years, Lark just wanted to fit in, so he did whatever it took to make sure both Natsu and Lucy were happy with him. But since entering his teenage years, Lark and Natsu had rubbed against each other the wrong way more than once. Lark could blatantly admit a huge part of it – ok fine…all of it - was his fault. He was acting out. Sometimes, it was a game to see how far he could push Natsu before he'd get angry.

Natsu was pretty tough to figure out. He was known as simple-minded, but Lark doubted that was the entire truth. Sometimes Natsu showed a wisdom beyond his years in decisions he would make. He had his priorities straight: Lucy and family first, then his job, his friends, and then everything else. He was slow to anger (except if someone was threatening his family or friends), had a strong sense of justice, and had a strong moral ethic. He had seen some pretty horrific things as a cop, yet somehow, Natsu still managed to do his best to contribute toward a favourable outcome. Bad days on the job got left at the job. When he was home with his family, they were his only focus. Nothing bothered him. Nothing shook him. Like ever.

"I miss it too," Lark admitted finally.

They turned the corner and started to jog up the side of the highway.

"I hope you had a good time this weekend," Natsu said awkwardly, "Minus what happened with Brielle, I think it was a pretty good time."

Lark frowned. He wasn't sure how to respond to that. Once again, Natsu was acting like it wasn't a big deal. He still insisted on looking at the good outcome rather than what could have happened. This was one of Natsu's traits that Lark couldn't understand. _His daughter almost drowned._ Why wasn't he lashing out?

"It was okay," Lark responded finally.

Natsu slowed his pace to a stop. Lark automatically slowed with him. Both of them were sweaty now. Lark honestly did love running with Natsu.

"You don't have to say that, Lark," Natsu said, eyeing his son, "I know you've had a pretty rough weekend. I know Brielle really scared you…it's okay to be upset."

"It was my fault," Lark said in a low voice, turning from Natsu. He knew he was about to make his father angry at him again, but the guilt had been eating at him. Maybe he _wanted_ Natsu to get angry.

Natsu took a step closer, but didn't force his son to turn to face him.

"There was a girl that was talking to me," Lark admitted, "I turned my back to Brielle to talk to her. It's my fault."

Natsu was quiet for a long moment before putting his hand on Lark's shoulder and rounding him so that they were facing. Lark was pretty sure he was deciding how to deal with his anger over Lark's admittedly stupid mistake.

"Brielle is okay," Natsu said finally, "And you recognize what _could_ have happened. Lark, you need to understand that we love you. We may not agree on everything, but you're our child too…and we were just as scared for you as we were for Brielle. Brielle is fine, but you aren't. You're hurting. And it's not just the Brielle incident. You've been hurting for awhile. When you hurt, we hurt."

Lark nodded, managing a smile.

"I knew there was more to the story. Thank you for being honest with me," he broke out into his trademark grin, bursting out into a run again, "Race you back!"

"NOT FAIR!" Lark bellowed after him.

Natsu took the head start, sprinting all out since he knew Lark would not be behind for long.

* * *

Erza cursed her luck as she realized that Natsu and Lark had changed their path and were running back to the Akane entrance.

She rotated, waiting for Natsu and Lark before she resumed her run in the other direction. Unfortunately, that meant Jellal would catch up to her too.

"Talk to me, Erza," Jellal demanded when he caught up to her, "I can tell you're ticked. So go ahead – tell me why!"

She shook her head, "I know you have to keep secrets, Jellal. It's always been that way."

"Then why are you pissed?" Jellal demanded, grabbing her wrist and forcing her to a stop.

"We have to keep up to Natsu and Larcade," she told him, gesturing to the father/son who were running 100 yards ahead.

"We have to discuss this!" Jellal argued, "I've always been as honest as I can about what my duties entail. I'm telling you _before_ I go. What's your problem?"

Erza shook her head.

"No problem," she said finally, "Have a great time."

He sighed as she pushed past him and started running again. There was no point in talking to her when she was like this. She was determined to be angry for now. It would be best to let her cool down.

* * *

Natsu and Lark had slowed to a walk partway back to the campground. Natsu's old knee injury decided it had had enough physical activity for that morning. His limp, however, disappeared shockingly fast when they realized the others were up and moving about the campsite.

Lark watched Natsu take a deep breath and refuse to baby his knee anymore. He always acted like it didn't hurt him in front of Lucy. Lark couldn't understand why he did that, but it had always been that way. Natsu didn't like Lucy to see him in pain.

"Good morning," Natsu beamed as he kissed his wife.

"Good morning," she replied, shooting Lark a grin.

It pleased her to no end, Lark knew, that he and Natsu had been together.

"I'm just getting the kids to start packing up. We can load the cars before breakfast and be ready to roll out shortly after," Lucy told Natsu.

He nodded, "Sorry, baby. Lark and I were up early, so we went for a run. I didn't realize we'd been gone for so long."

She kissed him again, "There's nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad you got some time together."

Lark turned away. He was used to seeing his parents with each other. He felt partly sick by their constant displays. The other part of him hoped that he would love someone that deeply when he was older… _much_ older.

"Larcade!" Daisuke greeted him as he opened the door to the cabin, "You're just in time. We've got our suitcases packed up. You can do yours now and then we'll all pitch in to clean."

Lark growled at Daisuke's use of his full name, but Daisuke was all too happy to completely ignore his reaction.

"Did you have another bad dream?" Mieske asked him as he zipped up his suitcase, "You were out of the cabin awfully early."

"Naw, I'm good," Lark told him, going to his own bed to clean it up, "Just went for a run with Dad."

Hansuke was checking under the beds for anything that might have been left behind, "That's good. You were completely out of your mind yesterday morning. It was pretty scary."

"It was a one-time thing," Lark told them both sternly, "So there's no need to mention it to Mom and Dad…ever."

Both Hansuke and Mieske nodded, leaving the cabin to take their suitcases to the car.

"You're okay?" Daisuke asked once they were gone.

Lark nodded, "I'm always okay."

"Good," Daisuke said, a twinkle in his eye, "Then I'm sure you'll be able to handle this news then…that cute purple-haired girl you've been making eyes at all weekend stopped by this morning to see how Brielle is. You're totally not getting her number now. We're leaving in an hour."

Lark sighed. That figured.

* * *

The four Angels in the room exchanged pleasantries as they sat down at the kitchen table to exchange information. Gray and Juvia had _transported_ back to Magnolia about an hour earlier. The Dragneels and Cheneys were on their way home. Erza and Jellal had opted to see them home since Gray and Juvia had seen them to Akane Beach.

"We had an eventful weekend," Gray said.

"Brielle almost drowned," Juvia sighed, "But thankfully, Lark was right there and was able to save her."

Gray was shaking his head, making Levy and Gajeel exchange glances.

"It's not that simple," Gray said after a moment, "An Angel of Death actually came for Brielle. Lark somehow convinced her to not take Brielle Home."

"What?" Gajeel asked, "Wait – Lark talked down an Angel of Death?"

Juvia nodded, "She healed her instead. Brielle had no signs at all of drowning when the doctors checked her out."

Levy's mouth had dropped open in surprise, "That's unheard of."

"Yeah," Gray agreed, "That was our reaction too. We don't know why. All we know is that she left without Brielle after healing her."

"We can shed some light on that," a voice said.

There was a glow. As it dissipated, Mirajane and Happy appeared.

* * *

Lucy's carload of kids was cheerful as the Dragneels pulled out of Akane Beach to head toward Magnolia. She had Aki beside her in the front seat. Sora, Connor and Mieske were in the back.

The other kids were chatting excitedly about the fun parts of the vacation as Lucy turned onto the highway. Lucy glanced into the rear-view mirror, noting the girl she considered her niece watching the scenery pass by her listlessly.

She was concerned about Sora. Sora had been the only one other than Lark to witness Brielle's near-accident. She and Natsu had noted she was acting 'off' and she intended to let Levy know she suspected Sora hadn't straightened out her feelings about it. But then, both she and Lark returned to the party last night acting happier. Maybe they'd talked and were able to come to some sort of conclusion about the whole incident. She could also just be tired from the weekend.

"Did you have fun, Sora?" Lucy asked, interrupting the conversation.

"Yeah," Sora replied immediately, "Thank you so much for taking me."

Lucy smiled at her in the rear-view mirror, noting Sora immediately returned to staring out her window.

* * *

"Mira!" Juvia exclaimed, throwing herself into the white-haired Angel's arms.

"Happy?" Gray asked, taking in the Exceed's strange new appearance.

"Aye, sir!" Happy saluted, grinning ear-to-ear.

"You look so different!" Juvia giggled.

"This is how I always look when I'm not protecting someone on Earthland," Happy laughed, "Levy, do you have fish?"

"In the fridge," she told him.

The Exceed was gone before she finished her sentence.

"So…what do you know about the drowning?" Gajeel asked Mira.

"Milliana was the Angel of Death," Gray supplied.

Mira nodded, "She said she didn't take Brielle 'because she was told to stop'. Happy and I have erased her memories and wiped the log clear of any evidence that Brielle was supposed to be claimed."

The other Angels exchanged glances.

"That makes no sense," Levy said, "Angels of Death don't leave their assignments 'because they were told to stop'."

"Milliana said it was Lark who told her to stop!" Happy called from the kitchen, his mouth obviously full of food.

"Lark?" Juvia asked, "Why would she stop taking Brielle just because Lark told her not to?"

"Because," Mira said slowly, "Milliana recognized Lark as Mavis's son."

The other Angels froze.

"Wait…Lark is Mavis's son?" Gray asked.

Mira nodded, "Only a few Angels know that. Up until now, nobody has been able to tell that by looking at him…which is why we're here. There are some things you need to know if you're going to protect Lark effectively."

"Yeah," Gajeel muttered, sitting back on the couch, "No shit."

"Jellal and Erza should be here for this conversation," Juvia said pointedly, "They'll be back in about 3 hours if they don't stop in every town on the way here."

"Okay," Mira agreed, "We'll leave the conversation until they're back. Plus, Crime Sorciere will be here shortly. We should have an Angels meeting."

That decided, Levy went to the kitchen to prepare some snacks for Mira in particular, since she didn't often get to sample human food anymore.

* * *

"So…do you see Angels here?" Sora asked Lark.

They were walking slowly behind the rest of their group, heading into a diner for lunch.

Lark glanced around the grounds, taking in the various Angels that were working around them.

"Yeah," he told her, "See that truck driver?"

He pointed to an 18-wheeler parked on the side of the driveway.

Sora nodded.

"His Angel is a Guardian," Lark told her. He pointed at a young couple, just getting into their car after leaving the diner, "That couple there…their Angel is sitting in the back seat."

Sora glanced to both places, not seeing anything out of the ordinary, "Is that all of them?"

Lark shook his head, "Not by a long shot. I'd spend all afternoon if I took the time to point them out one by one."

"Lark?" she asked slowly, her face clouded with deep thought.

He cocked his head to listen to her. Something was troubling her again.

"Brielle," she said, "What happened there? You said you saw an Angel..."

"It was an Angel of Death," Lark confirmed.

Sora cringed.

He smiled at her reassuringly, "That's who I was yelling at. But she healed Brielle instead."

Sora nodded, not really sure how to take his explanation.

"What are you two whispering about?" Daisuke asked, stopping ahead of them. He slung an arm over each of their shoulders when they caught up, Aki falling into step beside Sora, "You've been whispering back and forth all morning!"

Lark and Sora exchanged glances.

"Nothing," Sora told him.

"Still talking about Brielle's drowning?" Daisuke asked, "You both need to move on from that. She's fine. Look at her."

Up ahead, Brielle was skipping beside Natsu, holding his hand as she excitedly pointed out a souvenir store beside the diner to him.

"Not that!" Lark snapped, "We're trying to figure out what your intentions are with my sister!"

Aki had been about to take a sip of the bottle of Coke she was carrying, instead choking on it slightly.

"Hey now – no one said there were intentions!" Daisuke held up his hands in front of his face in mock defense.

"You'd _better_ have intentions!" Sora told him, "You spent all weekend flirting heavily. If you're just playing with her…"

"You'd better _not_ have any major intentions!" Lark argued, shaking his finger in Daisuke's face, "Because that'd be a great way to end a decade old friendship in two seconds flat!"

Aki was beat red, "Okay, you two…enough already."

"Oh no, dear sister!" Lark dropped his arm protectively over her shoulder, "We're just getting started!"

"Hey teenagers!" Lucy yelled from the door, "Are you hungry or not?"

All four of them sped up their walk to the door. Lark glanced over to Sora, now immersed in conversation with Aki. It made him happy that she was asking him questions. She was non-judgemental and curious. Best of all, she _believed_ him.

"AH! Cell service!" Haru was saying as everyone sat down at the table together. The large group actually took up the whole corner of the restaurant. All of them reached into their bags, pulling out their cell phones to connect to the wifi and receive any messages that might have been sent while they were at Akane.

"Phones away when the waitress comes to take our orders," Lucy warned, "You know the rule – no cell phones at the table."

The children all grunted their acknowledgements, Natsu included.

Lucy glanced over at Sora again, seated beside Lark. They were whispering to each other, both of them with slight smiles on their faces. Maybe Sora wasn't depressed afterall. Maybe she'd been so quiet in the car because something had happened between her and Lark. The thought made her smile.

"What are you thinking so deeply about?" Natsu teased.

Lucy shook herself back to reality, realizing Rogue and Laki were staring at her with amused eyes as well.

"Bad Boys!" she said immediately, making the other 3 adults laugh.

* * *

"Erza," Jellal stated, trying to get her attention from the lively table. The meals had come. Cell phones had gone away and the happy families were digging into their food.

"There's nothing to talk about," Erza said absently, "Let's just get them home."

He sighed heavily.

"If it helps any, I don't know what I'm needed for yet either," he said finally, "All Erik told me is that I'm needed for an investigation. I only know a few details and it may or may not affect our friends in Magnolia."

She glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, "I'm not angry that you're going."

He threw his hands up in the air and walked around in a circle, "Except _you are!_ Why else would you be giving me the cold shoulder?"

Her gaze was fiery as she stared him down, "You're so smart, Jellal…you figure it out."

* * *

The 3 cars pulled into Magnolia, the Cheney vehicle honking as it veered into the other lane. Natsu and Lucy both honked their goodbyes as Natsu veered off in the opposite direction to head for home and Lucy continued on to Sora's house.

She beckoned the other kids to stay in the car as she opened the truck to retrieve Sora's bag and walked the girl to the door.

"I know that car sound anywhere! Luuuushi!" Happy exclaimed, his mouth still full of fish as he rushed to the window to glance out.

Gajeel had heard the horn of Lucy's car too as she pulled into the driveway to bring Sora home.

"You can't look out the window, Happy!" Mira reminded him, "What if someone sees the curtain moving!?"

She ran to pull him back, only managing to capture his tail between her fingers.

Lucy glanced over at the movement of the curtains, puzzled. There was no one there...it must be a heating vent or something...but in the late spring? Strange. Shaking it off, she realized she didn't even have to knock on the door. Gajeel burst out, enveloping Sora in a tight hug.

"Did you have a good time?" he asked her.

"It was good, Daddy," Sora squeaked out. She was buried in his torso.

"Gajeel, let her go!" Levy demanded, "You're smothering her!"

Sora was laughing as Gajeel finally backed off a bit, "I missed you too, Daddy."

"It was a good weekend," Lucy confirmed, "A lot happened. You'll need to talk to Sting...he has something to show you."

Sora was grinning ear-to-ear as Gajeel escorted her inside.

"Luuuushi!" Happy exclaimed again, trying to rush the door. Gray caught his wings as he flew for the door.

"You can't!" Gray told him.

"She won't see me!" Happy begged, still trying to fly, despite the fact that Gray had him firmly in his grasp, "I just wanna see her and my kids! They're in the car! Lemme go!"

Gray held him tightly, "You can't! Just stay here, okay?"

"Luuuuushi!" Happy struggled against Gray, finally biting his finger.

"OW!" Gray exclaimed, recoiling his hand from the Exceed.

Lucy beckoned Levy to come down the stairs and shut the door behind her so that she could explain what happened to Brielle. Happy let out a victorious, "Yes!" then B-lined for the door, just Levy was shutting it, barely squeezing through.

"I think Sora's okay," Lucy concluded, "But witnessing it shook her and Lark up pretty bad. Just be aware of it."

Levy nodded, hugging her friend, "Thanks for telling me. I'll let Gajeel know and we'll definitely watch her. And we'll definitely contact Sting."

Lucy was walking back to the car. Happy didn't go after her, instead tearing up as she got in the driver's seat. Aki was in the front seat, two of the boys in the back. Tears blinded his eyes. They looked good. They all looked healthy and happy.

Lucy honked the horn as she left the driveway, completely oblivious that her former cat was falling apart right in front of her.

Levy took Happy in her arms and hugged him, "Come inside. I'll find more fish for you."

Happy sniffed, cuddling into her chest, "I miss my family, Levy."

"I know, Buddy," Levy sighed, "C'mon. Let's go find that fish."

* * *

Hours had passed since the Dragneels re-entered Magnolia. Lark laid on his bed, thrusting a ball into the air and catching it. The rest of the day had been lax. The Dragneels unpacked, put everything away, and then declared it a veg night. The younger kids had gone to bed long ago and he was pretty sure Natsu and Lucy had retired to their bedroom.

He was restless. Moreover, he didn't really know why. Glancing over at the clock, Lark realized it was almost 11:00 pm. He had to go to school in the morning, but he would never fall asleep at this rate. He was dying to talk more to Sora.

Rolling out of bed, he grabbed his jeans and slid them up his legs as silently as possible. He grabbed the nearest t-shirt, slipping it over his head, then moved to his window. He used the rose trellis as an anchor as he swung out the window, grabbing his skateboard from the garage on the way out of the driveway.

The streets of Magnolia were quiet as he zipped through them. He saw the odd Angel, waving as he passed. About 10 minutes later, he came to the Redfox house. Not surprisingly, all the lights were out.

He left his board by the blue spruce tree in the front yard and tiptoed to Sora's window, grabbing some pebbles from the garden on his way. Luckily, she was on the first floor toward the back of the house.

"Sora!" he whispered loudly, chucking a pebble at her window from behind the bushes. He threw 3 more pebbles before taking out his phone and texting her.

" _What the hell?"_ she texted back, " _I'm tired. Leave me alone."_

 _"I'm outside!"_ he texted, " _Put some clothes on. Let's go blow off some steam."_

 _"Do you have any idea what my parents will do to you if they catch you out there?"_ she demanded.

" _Then hurry up! And be quiet about it!"_

Sora sighed, silently getting up and feeling for some clothes in the dark. If her parents caught her meeting up with Lark, they'd both be toast. Yet, she knew Lark was not about to give up. She had to at least go see what he wanted.

* * *

"We're not taking the whole team," Erik said, glancing around at the small group of Crime Sorciere Angels, "Only myself and Minerva for now."

Ezel, Sorano and Wendy glanced at each other.

"Why not?" Ezel asked, "It seems strange that you'd leave the three of us behind."

"We need to be stealthier than normal," Minerva told him, "It's better if we have smaller numbers. Stay here and be ready if there's any signs of trouble."

"Let's go," Erik told Minerva.

Instantly, the spot where they stood was empty.

Ezel, Sorano and Wendy all looked awkwardly into different directions.

"Anyone want to play cards?" Wendy asked sheepishly.

* * *

Gajeel, Levy, Erza, Jellal, Gray, Juvia, Mira and Happy were seated around the table inside the Redfox house, all in _transparency_ so that Sora would not hear their conversation and wake up.

The Brielle drowning had just been recapped for Mira, Happy, Gajeel and Levy. Mira and Happy recapped their visit with Milliana for the rest of the Angels.

"And you're saying Milliana stopped," Juvia clarified, "because she recognized Lark as Mavis's son? How is that even possible? None of us ever recognized that. Why haven't we known about this before?"

Erza glanced at Jellal, her face instantly flushing red as she realized he wasn't reacting the same way she and the other Angels were...which could only mean one thing.

"You knew," she stated.

Jellal nodded slowly, noting the anger in her eyes. The other Angels were all staring at him, waiting for him to explain himself.

"It was at the Fairy Tail opening dinner," he said, "when Lark saw us in the corner of the restaurant that we all realized he could see Angels."

The others nodded, remembering the day. It was after that that they'd all started using _conceal_ to mask their presences from him.

"Larcade has no past," Jellal continued, "As far as everyone knows, he showed up on a church doorstep when he was a baby and was passed around between foster homes before he ended up with Natsu and Lucy. However, a select few of us knew that he was Mavis's son. We'd been looking for him for some time. I'd been on the lookout for a child that was unusual for a couple years before that point, although I didn't honestly know what I was looking for."

"Mavis brought Larcade to Heaven as an infant," Mira added, "She raised him in Heaven for a little over a year. There were only a select few of us who knew Larcade was there because Mavis kept him close to her and hidden from the other Angels. When she couldn't be with him, she only left him with myself or Layla Heartfilia."

"Hold on," Gray said, confused, "You've known about Lark for that long?"

Mira nodded.

"But that doesn't answer the question - why did Milliana recognize him and we didn't?" Juvia asked.

Both Mira and Jellal shook their heads.

"And who's Lark's father?" Erza asked, "How did Heaven not notice Mavis's pregnancy?"

"And how did Lark end up on Earthland?" Levy asked.

"We don't know any of that either," Jellal said slowly, "I only know that I was reporting in to Heaven for Crime Sorciere when Mavis called us in for a private meeting. It was me, Mira, Makarov, and Layla Heartfilia. She said she'd dropped the child off on Earthland some time ago and made sure any Heavenly ties he'd had were erased. She was beyond tearful as she explained she needed to find him again. She needed to know he was okay."

"That was a year or so after she dropped him off on Earthland. The secret was torturing her," Mira continued, "And it would be another year or so before Jellal realized who Lark was."

"So why hasn't she been around to see him?" Gajeel asked.

Once again, Jellal and Mira shook their heads.

"Did you know, Happy?" Levy asked.

The Exceed shook his head, "I was sent to Earthland to look after Lucy in case Natsu botched his mission, but when Lark came to us, I didn't know who he was. And I didn't talk to any of the Angels, so no. I didn't know."

"He can see Plue," Gray muttered.

"Plue can't use _conceal,"_ Levy stated, "He's a ghost dog, not an Exceed."

It was all so confusing.

"Well, does he see _other_ ghosts?" Erza asked.

Gray shook his head, "I don't think so. Maybe Plue chooses to appear to him."

"We need to find out how Milliana recognized Lark," Jellal said, "and Mira...you're sure the record is wiped clean of Brielle's name?"

Mira nodded, "Master wasn't happy with me about it, but he says Fairy Tail Heaven will protect us as much as it can to prevent the Heavenly Council from realizing what happened. As far as why Milliana recognized Lark, she said it was because he has the same glow as Mavis...but that doesn't really make sense. We all have glow. I can't see that Mavis's glow is any different than ours."

"Erik sees Aura," Juvia reminded her, "Maybe it's her special ability as an Angel."

"Possibly," Erza said quietly, "but Milliana's noticeable ability when she was with us in Crime Sorciere was her ability to heal. Other than Wendy, I don't know of any other Angels who can do that. Brielle and Lark were really fortunate that it was Milliana who was assigned to take Brielle."

Mira nodded. That was a good point. All the Angels had special abilities unique to themselves. Erik could see Aura. Gajeel could manipulate his body with metal. Gray could use ice... But certain Angels had more than one ability...like Jellal, who was considered a jack of all abilities and Wendy as a Changeover Angel.

"You should tell them your news," Erza told Jellal haughtily.

"What news?" Gajeel asked.

"I'm going away for awhile," Jellal confirmed, trying to keep his voice even. It was killing him that Erza was so angry...and he didn't even know why, "I'm re-joining Crime Sorciere for a mission. Erik will be leaving an Angel of his here in Magnolia in my stead."

The others nodded, watching the flinch in Erza's face.

"One more thing," Juvia interjected, glancing from Gajeel to Levy, "You should also know that Lark confided in Sora. She knows he sees Angels."

Gajeel and Levy both froze for a moment.

"I'm not sure I approve of you letting that happen," Levy said slowly.

"At the time, it was the right choice," Gray told her, "Sora was very confused about what she saw. Lark was driving himself insane. They both found an outlet."

Gajeel grunted his displeasure at the news, "But Lark doesn't know that Levy and I - or any of you - are Angels, right?"

The table went silent, everyone exchanging glances.

"I don't think so," Jellal said finally, "We're always very careful around him."

"Okay - we'd better do night rounds," Levy suggested.

The table dismissed, everyone started moving out for night rounds...incidentally, Gajeel and Levy didn't think to check on their own daughter.

In Lark's room across town, a body pillow lay underneath his blankets, the top part buried underneath a 2nd pillow.

* * *

Erik and Minerva moved silently through the jail, eventually arriving at the cell that belonged to Dan Straight. He was lying on his back, looking at the ceiling.

"He's aged," Minerva said flatly.

Erik nodded, "That's what 16 years does to a human."

"Then Samuel is what...approaching 50 or so?"

Erik nodded again.

"These attacks don't make sense," Minerva told him, mulling over an early conversation they'd had. Erik had detailed the last two attacks on Kari and Kyoka. Two different jails on _opposite_ sides of the country, "Why would anyone target these people? And _who_ for that matter? These prisons are the highest security in Fiore. It's not like just anyone can waltz right in."

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Erik told her, "But until we're satisfied that the attacks were coincidental and not related, we can't take any chances."

"And this is why Ezel and Sorano couldn't come with us?" Minerva asked.

She and Erik were both slumped against the wall, watching a sleeping Dan.

"Yeah," Erik said absently, "Until we know what's going on and if their former colleagues are being targeted, I need to keep them in the dark. Heaven has another division looking after Jackal for now. That might change once Jellal gets involved."

Minerva nodded.

Erik sighed, "Maybe it's just some weird coincidence."

"So why aren't we splitting up to watch Samuel too? He's at this prison, right?"

Erik nodded, "We should split up. I'll go watch Samuel."

Minerva nodded, slumping against the wall for what was sure to be a very long night.

* * *

Lark and Sora arrived at the park, both of them dismounting their skateboards in gales of laughter.

"It's so much more fun riding on the streets at night when you don't have to watch for anything!" Sora exclaimed.

"No doubt!" Lark agreed.

He glanced over at the dam in the distance, pointing to it.

"One day, I'm going to try that."

"To skate it? Are you nuts?" she asked, eyes wide, "You'll kill yourself."

He shrugged, "But it's be pretty damned cool if I pulled it off! Excuse the pun."

Sora shook her head as glanced at her cell phone, "I need to get home. If my parents discover I'm gone, they'll kill me...and then they'll kill you. And you'll never have the chance to try."

Lark held out his hand, laughing nervously. While he was a little nervous around Gajeel, he knew he was just a big teddy bear...especially when it came to Sora. Levy, however, was a different story. It was a bad idea to tick her off.

Sora took his hand and he began to lead her to the back of the park.

"Where are we going?" she asked, "I really have to get home!"

"We'll go in a minute," Lark told her, pushing aside some trees, "I want to show you something."

She glanced down at their joined hands. Lark's hand was soft and gentle. She loved the feel of it, praying that he wouldn't notice how sweaty her palms were. Her heart began beating so hard, she was pretty sure Lark would be able to hear it.

He pulled aside the last of the bushes and pointed upward. Sora glanced up...and up...and up.

"You know, I've lived in Magnolia for most of my life and I don't remember ever seeing the dam up close."

"Come see," he beckoned, letting go over her hand to climb the chain-linked fence. He threw his jacket over the barbed wire.

She glanced at the RESTRICTED ENTRANCE warnings that were placed every 10 feet down the length of the fence, her nerves cringing slightly.

He was at the top of the fence, reaching for her hand to pull her up. Hesitantly, she took it.

Once over the fence, she followed him, clenching his hand tightly. The path was wide, but the steep drop was intimidating. Water gushed out of the wall into the reservoir below. But when they got to the top, Sora gasped. The view was incredible. The reservoir was like a glistening lake. The light of the moon reflected off the water, lighting up the area. Surrounding trees moved gently against the wind.

"It's gorgeous," she said under her breath.

He nodded, "I don't think anyone else bothers coming out here...so it's the perfect place to come when I need to be alone."

She soaked in the view, distinctly aware that he hadn't let go of her hand.

"Let's go back," Lark suggested, pulling her in the other direction.

Once back at the skate park, Sora reached for her board, "I seriously have to go or Gajeel is going to have kittens when he finds out I'm gone."

Lark laughed, sliding down an old oak tree, patting the spot beside him.

"One more minute," he promised, "I want to tell you something."

Hesitantly, she slid down the tree beside him.

"I just wanted you to know," Lark said quietly, his gaze straight ahead, "that I appreciate how you're handling my secret. It's been a long time since I've been able to trust anyone. Actually…you're the _only_ one I've trusted with my secret. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that."

She reached up, tousling his spiky blonde hair. It wasn't often that Lark got sentimental. Her nervousness had to be played off somehow...might as well do it jokingly.

"Is that all?" she laughed, "We're friends. That's what friends do!"

He caught her wrist, looking deeply into her eyes, "I'm serious, Sora. I haven't been able to talk about this to anyone before. I really appreciate your support."

Sora felt herself melting under his gaze. His stare was intense and she could herself starting to sweat. He released his grip on her wrist, turning his serious expression into a smile.

"Thank you," he said softly, "I just want you to know how much you mean to me. It's not easy for me. I can't talk to just anyone about what I can see. I'm well aware that it sounds ridiculous and most people _wouldn't_ believe me...or if they did, they'd be scared out of their minds. Anyway, I just wanted you to know."

"I was scared at first," Sora admitted, "I'm terrified at the idea that Brielle had an Angel of Death come to her."

Lark's face fell as he listened to her, but he didn't break eye contact.

"But it was because of your gift that Brielle didn't die," she said softly, "so I'm not scared anymore. You're a very special person, Lark."

He blushed a bit, looking away, then returned his gaze to her, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

She wasn't sure which was more alluring...the stare or the smile as he absorbed what she'd just told him. Her eyes glanced down to his lips. Heat spread throughout her body. She wondered if there was any part of him that felt for her the way she felt...and felt more every day. They'd really bonded in a new way over the past 24 hours...Was it possible?

"Lark..." she whispered.

Lark recognized the look in her eyes just as she leaned forward slightly, shyly pressing her lips against his. When he didn't push her away, she leaned in closer, deepening her kiss. Shots of absolute pleasure coursed through her veins. She could feel herself getting warmer, her face flushing...and something else unfamiliar to her... _lust._

"Sora," he whispered as she adjusted her body to a better position, throwing herself completely into him.

He pulled back slightly, breaking the kiss, then pulled her into his side, hugging her gently.

"I'm thankful for a _best friend_ like you," he murmured as he nuzzled her hair, "And I care about you very deeply...but we shouldn't do that. We'll ruin our friendship and I don't think either of us want that. I know I can't afford to lose you. You're far too important to me."

Sora felt her heart thud to the soles of her feet.

"Mavis," she whispered in horror. She could still feel absolute adrenaline remnants from her kiss with Lark rushing through her body, "What have I done?"

"It's okay," he soothed, pressing his forehead down on the top of her blue hair.

He kept her head down to his chest so she wouldn't see how flustered he was. He had kissed a _lot_ of girls in his time, but few sent the electricity through him like Sora just did. It had taken him a moment to fully comprehend that she was the one actually kissing him and not some other girl. But he refused to entertain the thought that there could be more between them than what they already had. Sora was like another sibling to him...he couldn't take the risk and potentially seriously harm their friendship.

She cuddled into him, amazed at how his simple touch brought her blood to such a frenzy. He was warm and his arms were strong. She wasn't sure she'd ever felt safer, despite the fact that she'd just been blatantly rejected.

* * *

Erik pinched himself to keep from falling asleep. The inmates were all still sleeping. He could hear snoring throughout the block, some of it sounding downright obnoxious.

Samuel was restless, tossing and turning in his semi-form of sleep. He had indeed aged. His bald head was starting to wrinkle a bit. Sometime over his years in prison, he had gotten a tattoo of a Shar Pei dog on the top of his head that would gain wrinkles with his forehead. To dispel any rumours that his tattoo was anything but tough, the Shar Pei wore a leather jacket and had multiple piercings. He didn't care what anyone else thought about it - HE liked it. Nobody was dumb enough to mess with him anyway.

Samuel had just rolled over again, facing out into the room, when Erik perked up. He sensed an Aura change. Samuel's cell had just turned black. He stood slowly, unsure why he was being so cautious when nobody would be able to see him.

Samuel was sitting on the edge of his bed, seemingly detecting the change in the air too. Suddenly a man appeared out of nowhere. He had shoulder-length golden hair and if Erik didn't know better, he would have sworn he was an Angel.

"Who are you?" Samuel asked, his eyes wide with fright.

"My name is Tempester," the man said, bringing his arm above his head, "You don't remember me, do you, Samuel?"

"It's not possible!" Samuel exclaimed, "The Blake Tempester I knew when I was a child died!"

Tempester's eyes started to glow. The hand above his head threw out sparks of electricity, "Hold still now...the less you move, the less it will hurt when you die."

Samuel's eyes widened.

Erik _transported_ inside the jail cell, grabbing Tempester's wrist with his hand and forcing the charge within it through his own body. The pain wracked into his chest and for a moment, Erik wondered if it was possible for an Angel to have a heart attack.

"Poison Angel's Guard!" Erik called out weakly. Bolts of electricity flowed into him, but once the Guard was in place, Erik began to push back.

"I'd love to tousle with you," Tempester hissed into his ear, "but I haven't got the time. _IMPACT!"_

Tempester's punch blew Erik against the jail cell wall, making him sink to the ground. He turned to the wide-eyed Samuel, grinning madly.

"Now...like I was saying...stay still. It will hurt less."

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Samuel screamed, backing away as Tempester lifted his hand again.

"Exploding lightning blade," Tempester uttered as he blocked Samuel's meager attempt at attacking.

Samuel screamed, waking the other inmates. They began to stir, then yell as they saw Samuel's blood splay the floor right in front of them.


	8. Chapter 8

"Mommy! Daddy!" a little voice called from the hallway, "I can't find any socks!"

Natsu and Lucy were both in a deep sleep...nestled in each others' arms. They didn't even have to get up for another half hour. Natsu stirred, kissing his wife's neck as a good morning before answering Brielle.

"Can Aki help you find some, Brielle?" Natsu called back.

"Aki is still in bed," Brielle told them.

"Well, what about Lark?" Lucy asked, barely loud enough. She was buried comfortably in Natsu's chest.

"I already tried him! Lark isn't even here!" Brielle huffed in an annoyed tone...her feet were cold!

Natsu frowned, suddenly wide awake. He moved off of his wife immediately and headed for his housecoat. Lucy was suddenly alert too. She sprang from the bed, out of the bedroom after Natsu.

 _"Not again, Lark!"_ Lucy begged silently, " _Not after your progress at Akane..."_

"Lark!" Natsu called, opening his bedroom door.

It was true. The room was empty.

"Pillows!" he yelled to Lucy, "Just how stupid does he think we are!?"

He stormed out of the room, checking the other bedrooms while Lucy followed Brielle to her room to help her find some socks.

Natsu put his shoes on.

"Natsu – you're still in your pajamas!" Lucy scolded.

The look on Natsu's face silenced her as he slammed the door behind him.

Lucy glanced at the faces of the other children, slowly emerging from their rooms after Natsu had cruelly destroyed their slumber. It was only 6:30am. The twins, Connor, Hansuke, and Mieske had all still been in bed. They wiped the sleep from their eyes, eyeing their mother questioningly.

"It's okay," she assured them, "Daddy will find Lark and then we'll all have breakfast."

She frowned, then retreated to the master bedroom for her cell phone.

"Levy," she said when the phone picked up, "Just forewarning you: Natsu is looking for Lark."

"Again?" Levy murmured, "I thought he'd wait at least a week after the last major incident."

In the background, Lucy could hear her heading for Sora's room.

"Empty," Levy muttered under her breath, "Okay. I'll wake up Gajeel."

* * *

The stretcher carrying Samuel's body was covered in a heavy wool blanket to conceal the body underneath it as paramedics passed through the jail cell blocks. Police were everywhere. The jail had been evacuated while detectives combed Samuel's cell, looking for clues.

Erik sat against the wall, his head in his hands. His face was white with both fear and confusion. Minerva had joined him about an hour ago, but sensed he wasn't ready to talk. So, she simply sat with him.

Dan's cell blocks hadn't been evacuated. They were far enough away that the inmates there were completely oblivious to the incident.

"Are you hurt?" Minerva asked finally.

Erik shook his head, "No. Just confused. It all happened so fast."

"Did you see who did it?"

Erik nodded, "That's the thing, Minerva. I saw everything. And I was powerless to stop it. I tried. He caught me completely off guard and disabled me so easily."

Minerva glanced at him. She wasn't sure what he was talking about. Angels – especially Crime Sorciere Angels – did not 'disable' easily, no matter how off guard they got caught.

"How did he get in?" Minerva asked.

Erik was quiet for several long moments before he turned to her, making direct eye contact, "He _transported_ in, Minerva."

Her eyes widened, realizing what he was trying to say. Humans could not transport. The person who killed Samuel Zentopia was not human.

* * *

Sora opened her eyes slowly, yawning as she realized she was a bit cold. She cuddled in closer to Lark's side, noting the instant flash of heat streaming through her body as he adjusted his arms around her, securing her next to his body.

Wait…what was she doing outside…secured into Lark's body?

Her eyes bolted open as she realized she and Lark had fallen asleep against an old oak tree. The sun was peaking overtop of the building adjacent to the park. She grabbed for her phone in her pocket to find out the time.

"OH CRAP!" she yelled, shaking Lark awake, "It's morning, Lark…we're going to be in so much trouble!"

Lark jumped up, instantly awake, and they began to run. They grabbed their skateboards as they left the park, but neither rode. It would be quicker to cut across yards if they were on foot.

"It's only almost 7 am – maybe nobody has noticed!" Sora said hopefully.

"Brielle is always up at the crack of dawn," Lark muttered, "It's gonna take a friggin' miracle for me to get out of this one."

"And I'll be grounded by default," Sora said, anxiety in her voice, "Because _your_ dad will tell _my_ dad…"

"I'll see you at school!" Lark told her as they neared the corner where they would split up.

Sora waved, breaking off in the opposite direction.

* * *

Dan sat in the chair in utter shock as the warden finished telling him the news.

"I don't understand," Dan said, "How can he be dead? Who could get into his jail cell? He was purposely placed 3 feet from every other cell around him because of previous altercations."

"We're sorry for your loss," the warden told him.

Dan was shaking his head back and forth, really not comprehending. How could Samuel be dead? Just yesterday he'd seen him…

"There's more," the female officer accompanying the warden told him, "In the last week, your former colleague, Kyoka, was also found dead. And your mother…she was stabbed. We're beginning to think there's a connection."

Dan's eyes nearly bulged right out of his head, "How? They were all in maximum security! My mom! Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"She didn't die. The point is, we will be doubling your security," the warden told him, "And, of course, today you'll be excused from all your duties. There won't be a funeral for Samuel…I'm sure you know that."

Dan nodded. Samuel was not well liked within the prison walls. He was the personification of badass and often got into fights. He would not be missed by anyone other than Dan.

"My brother," Dan whispered, still in shock, "And my mother…"

"Go back to your cell," the warden told him, "The Prison Board is meeting today to discuss how best to protect you. We'll be in touch after the meeting."

Dan barely heard him as he was escorted back out into the prison. His mind was reeling. Samuel was the last person on Earthland who might have cared a little about him. His mother, Kari, was in a hospital, somewhere in the women's prison on the other side of Fiore. She'd made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with him when they'd been convicted, having lost any opportunity to get Jude's money forever. Jose Porla had died of a heart attack about 7 years ago. Not that he cared about Dan or Samuel. And the love of his life, Lucy Heartfilia, didn't love him. She loved someone else. A momentary chill spread through him as he remembered the moment she'd told him she didn't love him. It hurt. It had been the most painful part of the experience, even more so than getting arrested. He'd spent the last 16 years trying to accept that.

He arrived back at his cell, 2 guards remaining outside of it to watch over him. Dan couldn't think straight. He picked up the carving Samuel had made for it, running his fingers over the etched wood. A single tear escaped his eye.

He was now completely alone in this world.

* * *

Sora ran down the last block that would take her to her house, barely glancing both ways as she darted across the street. She volleyed around the corner, gaining speed on her way down the hill.

Glancing briefly across the next intersection, Sora B-lined across the centre, not seeing the truck approaching until the last minute.

"Oh my Mavis," she whispered as she heard the horn. She screamed, closing her eyes, and braced for the impact.

The next thing she knew, she was rolling on the ground. She felt her body make contact with the concrete, rolling several times before coming to a stop. She groaned, not sure if she could get up. Her body was wracked with pain. So much for getting inside the house unnoticed.

She gave herself a moment to collect herself, hoping some of the pain would subside as she forced herself to sit up.

"Are you okay?" a woman asked, settling beside her.

Sora looked up at the woman. Her hair was bright red, her eyes dark. She was tall and very beautiful, but Sora had no clue where she'd come from. She glanced back to the intersection. The driver of the truck fingered her, then continued on his way.

"It didn't hit me!" she exclaimed, "You saved me?"

"I pushed you out of the way," the woman acknowledged, "But I'm afraid I didn't stop you from getting road rash."

"It hurts," Sora admitted, "But it's nothing compared to how I'd feel if you hadn't come along. Thank you."

The woman surveyed Sora's body, touching spots lightly. Sora cringed.

"I don't think anything is broken," the woman told her, "I'll help you up, then take you home."

"I only live at the bottom of the hill," Sora replied, crying out as the woman helped her to her feet, "I'll be fine."

"Well, I can't very well let you go without knowing someone will look after you," the woman insisted, "Come on."

"My board," Sora murmured.

The woman glanced back sympathetically, "It broke in half. Let's leave it. I'll come back to throw it in the garbage once I know someone is looking after you."

Sora nodded, allowing the woman to help her down the hill.

Levy answered the door as soon as the woman knocked, her eyes bulging when she saw Sora's condition. She was scraped over a good portion of her body. Her shirt was torn and her knees were bloody.

"She's okay," the red-haired woman told her, "Nothing is broken."

"Thank you," Levy said simply, ushering her daughter inside and shutting the door behind her.

"That was rude!" Sora said sheepishly, "You could have invited her inside."

"I think that's probably the last thing on my mind right now," Levy told her, glancing over Sora's injuries, "And definitely the last thing you should be worried about."

Sora gulped.

* * *

Jellal, Erza, Gray, and Juvia all _transported_ outside the Redfox home at the same time.

"Sora just returned home," Erza reported, "but she almost got hit by a car. She's a bit banged up and _extremely_ lucky I happened to be nearby."

"So, where's Lark?" Gray groaned, "Why do I get the feeling this is not going to end well?"

"You're just being pessimistic, dearest," Juvia told him, "Does Gajeel know Sora is home?"

As if on cue, Gajeel stalked past him, "Levy texted me. Sora's home. Natsu is still out there looking for Lark. He better friggin' find him before I do!"

He disappeared, slamming the front door of his house behind him.

"He knows," Erza ventured to say.

"Yeahhhh," Gray said quietly, "This isn't going to end well."

* * *

"We should go," Minerva suggested.

Erik was still in shock, unsure of how to voice his anxiety.

"We'll go see Jellal," Minerva told him, taking his arm to pull him up.

Erik shook off his stupor, "I don't think it can be denied there's a connection now."

"No," Minerva agreed, "I don't think so either."

"I asked Jellal to come and work with us on this," Erik told her, "I had a feeling it was bigger than a coincidental murder and a stabbing. There's no denying it now."

"I think Jellal will have ideas on how to handle this," Minerva agreed, "but what will we tell Sorano and Ezel?"

"Nothing," Erik shook his head, "They can't know."

* * *

Lark used a lamp post to swing around the corner. He was almost home…just a little further…

He skidded into the driveway, bringing his board up to his hand without missing a step, then tiptoed into the garage.

"Welcome home, son!"

The ominous angry voice that obviously belonged to his father shot fear through Lark's body. Natsu didn't get angry often, preferring to be light-hearted and funny, but the tone in his voice left no illusions.

 _Natsu was pissed._

"We didn't do anything wrong," Lark said immediately, "We fell asleep at the park – that's all."

"Is that right?" Natsu said, gesturing Lark into the house, "Interesting. Because I just got off the phone with Gajeel."

Lark entered the house hesitantly, Natsu right behind him. Brielle was on the couch, eating some cereal. Lucy sat at the kitchen table. Her eyes lit up with relief when she saw Lark, but only for a brief moment. That's when he realized...he was in a _lot_ more trouble than he thought if she wasn't immediately fawning over him.

"Sora had an accident," Natsu told Lark, "She almost got hit by a car."

"Is she okay?" Lark asked immediately, eyes wide.

"As it was, she escaped with road rash. She's banged up," Natsu told him, "but that is farrrrr from the point."

"Lark, what were you doing out all night?" Lucy asked gently, getting between her men.

"It wasn't a big deal," Lark muttered.

"Oh, I think it was a _very_ big deal!" Natsu stated, "You snuck out and you were gone all night! Again! I thought after this weekend maybe we'd get past this! Worse, you took Sora with you! Do you have any idea how worried we were? And what about Sora's parents?"

Natsu approached Lark, skirting around Lucy, and stared him down directly in his eyes. They were the same height, but Lark felt intimidated. Natsu was issuing a direct challenge. He shook his head, backing up. He didn't want to fight. He hated fighting.

Lark turned for the door, "I'm not doing this. I'm sick of these stupid fights. I'm outta here."

Natsu grabbed his arm with one hand, "You're not going anywhere – we're discussing this!"

* * *

"I can't believe he managed to get Sora out without any of us noticing," Erza shook her head.

The Angels were all sitting outside the Redfox house, ready to talk Gajeel down if he was serious about going after Lark.

"Speaking of which, it would likely be a good idea for some of us to go look after Natsu's house," Jellal suggested, "If Lark goes home, it would probably be a good idea to have someone nearby."

Gray and Juvia nodded, disappearing instantly.

An instant later, Crime Sorciere suddenly appeared in their spot.

"Hello, Jellal…Erza…" Erik greeted, "Do you have a minute, Jellal?"

"Erza," Jellal started, reaching a hand out to her.

"Don't," Erza told him flatly, "Just go. See you when you get back."

Erza _transported_. To where, Jellal had no idea.

Jellal sighed, glancing back at Erik. He noticed the ash-white colour of his face.

"What happened?" Jellal asked.

Minerva urged Sorano, Wendy, and Ezel to follow her, leaving the two men to talk.

* * *

"I'm okay!" Sora insisted, twisting to get out of her mother's grasp, "The peroxide hurts more than the scratches!"

Gajeel stood at the bathroom door, observing his wife wiping their daughter's wounds none too gently. Levy was having a hard time wiping her properly with all Sora's squirming.

"Stay still!" he ordered gruffly.

Sora froze. As much as she knew her father was wrapped around her little finger, she didn't dare cross him right now.

"What were you doing out all night?" Levy asked, dabbing her bloody knee.

Sora hissed at the feel of the peroxide in her cut, "We were just talking!"

"All night?" Levy asked, "What could you possibly have to talk about all night after spending a weekend away?"

Gajeel growled. Levy shot him a 'let me handle this' look, shutting him up.

"We fell asleep," Sora told them, "I'm sorry. Lark and I were both a bit messed up from Brielle's accident. We were just discussing our feelings about it."

Levy looked deep into her daughter's eyes, then back at Gajeel. Sora realized the exact second her mother's heart shattered into pieces as she turned back to her daughter.

"You're lying," Levy stated, her voice high, "You've never lied to us before, Sora."

Sora's face was conflicted.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She couldn't stand the look on Levy's face. Gajeel stood emotionless, but Sora swore she saw a tear in his eye, "I can't tell you what we were talking about. I promised Lark."

Her parents glanced at each other, completely unsure of how to respond.

* * *

Lark's eyes radiated his fury as he swung around to face his father.

Lucy glanced backward, noting the other children emerging from their bedroom doorways. Aki went immediately to the couch, pulling a frightened, wide-eyed Brielle into her arms. Mieske, Hansuke, and Connor simply gaped from the hallway.

"What's going on?" Haru asked, noting the horrendous tension in the air.

Aimi glanced at her twin, eyes wide.

"Take your hand off of me!" Lark growled in a low, ominous voice.

Natsu's eyes were just as angry, "Not until you agree to discuss this like a rational adult. You keep saying you're not a kid – FREAKIN' ACT LIKE IT! Because of you, Sora could have really gotten hurt today. You're lucky it was minor! You can't just run from what you did!"

"That wasn't my fault! I wasn't even with her when she got hurt !" Lark shouted, jerking to get away from Natsu's grip.

Lucy got up from the table, ushering the other kids toward the front door. Whatever was about to happen, the kids did not need to see it.

"Momma, what's going on?" Brielle asked, "Why are Daddy and Lark yelling?"

"Aki, take the kids out to the van," Lucy grabbed the keys from the shelf and flung them to her daughter, ushering the other kids out the front door.

"Momma…" Brielle said again, her eyes wide with fear.

"Go with Aki to the van and stay there," Lucy told her.

The door closed behind them and Lucy spun around on her heel to face her son and husband.

Natsu held onto his son's arm firmly. He was remarkably strong, Lark noted. It was only one hand, but Lark couldn't loosen his grip by jerking back.

"Let go of my arm," Lark warned Natsu.

"I highly doubt it was Sora's idea to sneak out in the middle of the night!" Natsu told him, ignoring Lark's request to release his arm, " _You are hurting the people around you_! Don't you get it, Lark? You're reckless! And because of your recklessness, _other people_ are getting hurt! First Brielle, and now Sora!"

Lark stared into his father's eyes, anger emanating from them. That was a low blow. His father told him yesterday during their heart-to-heart that he forgave Lark about Brielle. Lark hadn't even forgiven _himself_ yet. He was still beating himself up about it - and he'd confided to Natsu his horror at realizing Brielle hadn't been breathing and didn't have a pulse. To throw it in his face now was low. And it wasn't his fault that Sora got hurt. It's not like Lark pushed her into traffic.

"Get your hand off of me," Lark repeated one last time.

They locked eyes. Lucy's hands covered her mouth, her eyes wide as she stared at their showdown. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the other kids getting into the van.

"What? Are you going to hurt me too?" Natsu chided.

It was that second that Lark's tolerance level broke.

Lark brought back his fist and aimed for Natsu's face. He hated violence. He made sure he never got in to an unnecessary fight, yet he delighted in the sound of the cracking of his fist against flesh. It felt good to hit the man who never got angry…who never acknowledged how Lark felt about things. It felt good to make him hurt for a change.

The next moment was a blur. He realized suddenly it wasn't Natsu on the ground…Lucy had dodged in between them.

She was sprawled on the ground, her back facing them as she cried out in pain.

"Luce!" Natsu cried, immediately dropping his hold on Lark and running for her. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms as he examined her cheek, red and bruising. Her mouth was bleeding.

Lark's mouth dropped open in disbelief. He was shell-shocked and he couldn't move.

"I'm okay!" Lucy cried out. Her voice was choked.

"You're not okay!" Natsu panicked, grabbing a nearby towel and placing it against her mouth.

Lark backed up to the door in absolute horror as his father ran to the fridge for an ice pack, placing it inside the towel and handing it to Lucy before he turned to face Lark.

"Are you happy now?" he demanded.

For the first time since moving in with Natsu and Lucy, Lark was truly afraid. Natsu's eyes had darkened so much, his eye colour was gone. Natsu took a step forward. Lark was sure he could feel Natsu's heat as he took another step. Lark didn't even realize he'd taken two steps back. There was nowhere for him to go - he was backed up against the door.

"You have crossed the line," Natsu stated, "Larcade."

Suddenly, visions of fire flooded Lark's vision. It was exactly like his nightmare. Only this time, it was Natsu who was covered in fire. He had a murderous look to him. As his name rolled off of Natsu's lips, Lark's mind flashed to his nightmares. He backed up, only to find there was nowhere to back up to. He was against the door.

Lark panicked…and then he ran. He opened the door and he ran.

Gray and Juvia stared at the scene in horror. They were too late. Nodding to Juvia, Gray took off after Lark as Juvia went out to the van to send comfort to the kids.

"Luce," Natsu whispered, getting down beside her, "You shouldn't have done that. You should have let him hit me."

"And then what?" Lucy demanded, "You would have hit him back?"

Natsu couldn't answer her. He didn't know what he would have done. He'd like to think he could never hit one of his kids. Then again, he would have liked to have thought his kids wouldn't be able to hit him.

"The other kids," Lucy murmured, heading for the bathroom to examine her eye, "They can't know Lark hit me. It will scare them."

Her eye was turning purple, spreading across her face.

"I don't think we'll be able to hide it," Natsu said sorrowfully, "Luce…I'm so sorry."

She turned to him, "We can't worry about that now. Lark is out there somewhere."

"He needs to cool off," Natsu scowled.

" _YOU_ need to cool off! He's hurting and he's scared, Natsu!" Lucy protested, "You _know_ what happens when he's like this! We have to find him!"

Natsu look conflicted. He was beyond angry himself. He had been ready to talk Lark down...but once he'd hit Lucy, Natsu had nearly lost his mind. There was no doubt in his mind, he very well _could_ have hit Lark in that moment.

"Please, Natsu," Lucy begged, the pained look on her face completely unrelated to the bruise on her face, "Let it go. I'm fine. Just go find our boy and bring him home."

Natsu hesitated, then wrapped his arms around her, kissing her gently. He nodded, working to calm himself down.

"Go," she told him, "I'll call Levy to come over and hang out with the kids and then I'll look too. Maybe she's talked Gajeel down. We need to get Lark home before he does something stupid again. If he can't talk to us, maybe he can talk to Cana...but he really should not be alone right now."

Natsu nodded again, disappearing out the door.

* * *

"What's going on here?" Erik changed the subject, noting Jellal's flustered look.

"The Dragneels are having some family issues," Jellal replied, "And Erza is angry at me. I know it has something to do with me going with you, but she won't come out and say it."

Erik paused, "Maybe you can't come?"

Jellal shook his head, "She can't be honest with me, so I need to do what I need to do. Do you have new information?"

Erik nodded solemnly, "Heaven sent Angels to watch over Jackal. Minerva and I went to watch over Samuel and Dan."

Jellal could the anguish on Erik's face. He stayed quiet, letting Erik take his time to tell him.

"Samuel's dead," Erik told him, "I saw the whole thing. He died right in front of me…and I was _powerless_ to do anything about it."

"What do you mean?" Jellal frowned.

"I would have thought he was an Angel," Erik said, "He said his name was Tempester. He _looked_ like an Angel. But he was brutal. He overpowered me in seconds and proceeded to kill Samuel where he stood."

Jellal absorbed the information with a frown. Erik was one of the best Angels he knew. He had a good command over most abilities and there was no denying he could handle tough situations. How did he get overpowered?

"Dan was untouched," Erik continued, "but he's devastated about Samuel."

"That means there's no doubt that the attacks are related," Jellal said slowly.

"Yes," Erik agreed, "That's exactly what it means."

"I'll go with you," Jellal said after a moment.

Erik nodded, "We'll be assigned to Dan, no doubt. If Tempester came for Samuel, Dan is next."

* * *

Lark stood on top of the Magnolia dam, watching the water cascade down below. He was still stupefied. So many things had just completely altered his reality. He felt sick to his stomach as visions of Lucy's face scampered across his mind, mingling with visions of a fired-up Natsu. Lark didn't know what would have happened if he hadn't run. He had never seen that level of anger from Natsu before. If Lucy hadn't intervened, Natsu might have taught him a lesson he wouldn't forget...and honestly, Lark wouldn't have blamed him. Natsu was known for tolerating a lot of things...but Lark had hurt his Lucy, even if it wasn't intentional. Furthermore, his nightmares had come to life right in front of his eyes. But he'd _never_ before that moment thought of Natsu as the man who tortured him in his dreams.

"Plue!" he called as he sat on top of the dam, his legs dangling over the 40-foot drop.

The dog appeared beside him instantly. Lark pulled him close.

"I messed up big this time," he told the dog, "I don't think I can go home."

Plue let out a low growl.

"Not this time, Buddy. I did something unforgivable," Lark told him.

A tear rolled down his cheek.

"I hit Lucy," he whispered. More tears cascaded down his face, now a steady stream, "It's unforgivable..."

The dog made another noise, pushing Lark's hand.

"She's been nothing but an amazing mother to me, Plue," Lark choked out, "All she's ever done is love me."

Plue stayed still, allowing Lark to collect his thoughts.

" I don't deserve her love. I don't know if I can even forgive myself. And Natsu...Plue, why do we clash like that? I finally pushed him over the edge today. I can't go home...and I don't deserve to. Is that what my nightmares were about?"

Plue nudged his head under Lark's hand, trying to get him to pet him since he didn't know what else to do to comfort the distraught boy.

* * *

Levy hung up the phone, her eyes wide. Gajeel growled, smacking his fist into his palm, having overheard what just happened at the Dragneel household.

"Gajeel…I know you're angry," Levy begged, "But for the sakes of Lucy and Natsu...can you help find him? Please?"

Gajeel studied his wife's face, trying to work through his anger. Lark had taken his little girl out - _overnight_. They'd fallen asleep together...so what were they doing? He'd had a long discussion with Sora already about it. Sora avidly denied that anything inappropriate had happened between her and Lark. Sora still wouldn't tell them the truth about what she and Lark had been talking about. But now Lark hit Lucy? Gajeel wasn't sure anymore whether Lark should be more afraid of himself...or Natsu.

Still, looking at Levy's pleading face, he realized there were bigger issues at the moment.

Gajeel nodded, letting out a deep, cleansing sigh, "All right, Shrimp. As much as that kid pisses me off, I don't want anything bad to happen to him."

"What's going on?" Sora asked, opening her door, "What's wrong with Lark?"

Gajeel and Levy exchanged glances, knowing Sora's door was not entirely soundproof.

"You have enough to worry about," Levy told her, "Like school starting in 20 minutes."

Gajeel glanced at Levy, the unsaid thought passing between them. Sora might know where to look.

"Baby girl, we're going to ask you once," Gajeel said sternly, "Where does Lark go when he needs to blow off steam?"

"The skate park," Sora said slowly.

"And if he's not there?" Gajeel prodded her, "Where else?"

Sora wracked her brain, trying to think where else Lark would go. Her eyes darkened...he had taken her to the dam. He'd shared his private place with her...but she couldn't tell them that, could she? He had confided in her more than once in the past 24 hours...she couldn't betray that trust.

"Sora," Gajeel said softly, "Please. It's important."

Sora still didn't want to tell. She really wanted the closeness with Lark.

"He could hurt himself," Levy told her, "Please, Sora. He hit Lucy this morning...he's scared and Lucy is afraid he'll do something stupid."

Sora's eyes widened in horror. Lark loved Lucy! He would never hit her! But there _was_ a pattern over the past several months…every time Lark felt intimidated or angry...

"Baby girl," Gajeel said, lifting her chin and looking deep into her eyes, "Lark needs you to help him right now. And the best way you can help him is to help us find him before he does something stupid. If you care about him, you have to tell us."

Sora's heart tore in two. Lark might never forgive her.

"Promise me," she begged him, looking straight into Gajeel's eyes, "Promise me you won't freak out on him. Last night really was an accident."

"You snuck out," Gajeel reminded her, "That was no accident."

"But falling asleep _was_ an accident!" Sora exclaimed, "Please Daddy…don't hurt him."

"I'm not going to hurt him," Gajeel promised, "I want to find him to help him. But I need your help."

"The dam," she said quietly, "He took me to the dam last night."

"Shit," Levy whispered, her eyes wide.

Both Levy and Gajeel started to race around, Levy immediately on her phone.

"Go to school," Gajeel ordered, losing his soft expression, "And don't think this is over yet...not by a long shot."

Sora didn't dare talk back. She was already grounded for the next 2 months. They'd taken her cell phone and warned her she wouldn't get it back until she told them the truth as to why she was sneaking around with Lark overnight.

And now Lark might think she betrayed him.

She slipped into the bathroom, leaving the door open a crack as she did her hair. Her hands were shaking so bad, however, she really didn't know if she was accomplishing anything. She put the lid down on the toilet, rocking back and forth with her head between her hands.

 _Lark hit Lucy._

"I'll call Fairy Tail and let them know Lucy won't be in and then I'm headed to Lucy's. She'll probably want me to stay there so that she can go look for Lark too, if I know her..." Levy promised, kissing her husband's cheek, "Now go!"

Gajeel shut the door behind him.

* * *

Erik and Jellal had rejoined the main group of Crime Sorciere, who were now converging on the cell phone with the Fairy Tail Angels to help deal with the current crisis.

"Wendy!" Erik called, gesturing for her to come over.

She obeyed, a pretty smile on her face as she greeted her former leader.

"We need to ask you a favour," Erik told her, "I want you to stay in Magnolia to help the Fairy Tail Angels while Jellal comes with Crime Sorciere. Can you do that for me?"

Wendy nodded.

"Keep an eye on the Dragneel kids," Jellal told her, "Especially Lark...once we find him."

Wendy hoped that Jellal wouldn't see her blush, but she could feel her cheeks going red.

"Aren't you going to help find Larcade?" Wendy asked.

"We have our own crisis to handle," Erik told her, "So we'll be counting on you."

Wendy nodded again, anxious for the chance to prove that she was ready to handle such a large responsibility.

Jellal and Erik gestured for the rest of the Crime Sorciere Angels.

"We have somewhere else to be," Erik told them, "So Wendy, Ezel, and Sorano - please stay behind and help look for Larcade. Minerva, come with us."

Wendy's face fell. She thought he'd meant she would be staying on her own.

"After Lark is found, contact us," Jellal told Ezel and Sorano.

They both nodded.

"Wendy is going to stay here so that she can fill Jellal's shoes while he comes with us," Erik continued.

Wendy's face lit up again, but she tried not to let it show. Her body was that of a 16-year-old girl. Timewise, she was a lot older than that. As a result, everyone around her still saw her as a child.

While it was true that she didn't have human experience as an adult, she still had seen a lot in her time. She'd been in Heaven for a lot of years. Still, Crime Sorciere had always treated her as the baby. They tended to give her the easy parts of missions and all of them were over-protective of her. She had it out with Erik about a month ago and they agreed that Erik would start giving her more responsibility.

This new mission of hers was huge. It was her chance to prove herself. And she promised herself she would not fail.

Wendy nodded to Jellal, then transported to the skate park, thinking it was likely the best place to check. She knew the other Angels would comb it, but something nagged at her to check there anyway. She _concealed_ herself, walking along the shadows as she looked around the park.

Glancing over, she noticed Natsu searching the park too. He wouldn't see her. She was well-concealed from his sight. Any signs of anger had been effectively quelled for the moment. Natsu was intent on finding Lark before something happened.

She scanned the park, her eyes settling on a white ghost dog, beckoning her with his eyes to follow him. Wendy's eyes widened - this was the _Plue_ the other Angels had been talking about!

Knowing he had her attention now, Plue darted into the wooded area behind the park.

She pushed through the bushes, arriving in the clearing that faced the dam. Plue was gone. But her eyes widened as she caught sight of Lark - teetering on the edge of making a very stupid decision.

Wendy broke out into a run, transporting to the other side of the fence, then up to the top of the dam. Even transporting took time though. And try as she might, Wendy knew she wasn't going to make it.

* * *

Lark stood on the top of the dam, examining the curves of the walls. It was a pretty cool dam. It had walls that were angled. They were about 300 feet long, sloping to decline the 40 foot drop to the water below. If he could stay on the sloped wall, he was pretty sure he could skate it. Deep down, he wondered if it would be too steep or if he'd be able to stay on the path, but that wasn't going to stop him now.

He couldn't sit still and think anymore. He needed to release his pent-up guilt and anger...adrenaline rushes were the best way to do that.

* * *

"The dam!" Gajeel yelled into the cell phone. It was set to group call, letting each of the Fairy Tail and Crime Sorciere Angels know where to head.

"I'm close!" Gray said into his phone, "I lost him about 5 minutes ago. I think he knew he was being followed because I have no idea how I lost him - he can't be far ahead of me!"

"Then get there!" Erza ordered, "We're all on our way!"

Gajeel was still running as he speed-dialed Natsu's number, "Sora says there's a chance Lark is at the dam!"

"Oh shit," Natsu was breathing hard on the other end, "I'm at the skate park! I'm on my way!"

Gajeel shoved his cell in his pocket and headed for the nearest _shadow_ to go _transparent._ He needed to hurry.

* * *

Gray spotted Lark at the top of the dam when he passed through the clearing just as he pushed off down the hill. He doubled back, _nudging_ Natsu as hard as he could to the clearing that lead to the dam pathway. Natsu's eyes bulged out of his head as he realized that Lark was already attempting to skate down the slope.

He was gaining a lot of speed, but he held control of the board so far. The exhilaration hit him. He loved the wind in his hair as he focused on his end target at the bottom of the hill, temporarily forgetting his immediate issues.

"LARK!" Natsu yelled, hurrying to scale the fence, "STOP!"

Lark's concentration broke as he searched the for voice he recognized as his father's. It was only a brief moment, but a brief moment was all it took for him to lose his balance, the board sliding out from underneath of him. He hit the cement wall and began to tumble - down the steep 40 foot slope. He could feel his face scraping against the concrete and the warmth of his own blood as he bounced down the path like a rag doll. His arm snapped back and he let out an agonizing scream as his head smacked against the pavement harshly.

Gray let out an inaudible (to humans), "OH SHIT!"

He took to the s _hadows,_ racing _t_ o intervene.

"LARK!" Natsu screamed.

Suddenly, Lark was aware that he wasn't tumbling alone. He could feel arms around him, the other body taking the brunt of the force of falling. He tried to look back at the face of his protector, but he couldn't turn his neck. Whoever was tumbling with him kept his head to their chest, shielding it from another smack against the concrete. Finally, he landed at the bottom of the wall, just away from the water's edge.

He couldn't move. Every bone in his body burned like it was on fire, but mostly he was aware of the searing pain coming from his arm and his head. He couldn't think straight. It was like he was aware of his surroundings, but he couldn't respond to them.

"LARCADE!" Natsu screamed again. He had his phone out, dialing 911 as he ran toward his son.

He landed on his knees, searching his son's body for life-threatening injuries. Oddly, he didn't find anything immediate. He knew from the odd angle that Lark's left arm was dislocated, probably broken. It appeared that he had a nasty gash on his forehead too, amongst the multiple abrasions all over his body.

Gray's eyes shifted to Wendy on the ground. She was none the worse for wear, being that she was an Angel, but she was shaking as she forced herself to sit up, glancing over at Lark's still body. She sat beside him, trying to pour some healing into the laceration on his gushing forehead. Blood pooled around his body.

Natsu knew not to pull his boy into his arms, but Mavis - how he wanted to. It took all his strength not to shake him awake, scold him, but hug him close all at the same time. However, it was best not to move him. His police training overtook his emotions that much, at least. The rest of him was panicking.

"An ambulance is on its' way," Natsu promised, stroking his son's back gently, "I know it hurts, Lark. Just hang in there."

Lark was groaning. He wanted to switch positions to lessen the pain, but his body wouldn't move.

"You're okay!" Natsu promised, but the panic in his voice said otherwise, "Lark, look at me! You're okay! Stay focused on me!"

"You're going to kill me," Lark choked out, "Ah gawd..."

"Don't worry about that right now," Natsu told him, grabbing the hand on the opposite side of his obviously broken shoulder, "Help is on the way. Stay with me, Lark. _Lark - do you hear me_?"

His eyes rolled to the back of his head. Lark had passed out.

"Wendy," Gray said gently, going to one knee beside her.

Tears streamed down her face as she attempted to put more healing into the head wound, "I wasn't fast enough, Gray."

* * *

"So how do you think we should do this?" Erik asked Jellal.

They'd just arrived in Crocus, outside of the jail that still contained Dan Straight.

"You said there's another team looking after Jackal?" Jellal asked.

Erik nodded.

"We should meet with them. I don't think whoever is doing this will be brazen enough to attack during the day."

Minerva took out her cell phone, stepping away to contact Heaven to make the arrangements.

"You didn't say goodbye to Erza," Erik said, "Are you two going to be okay?"

Jellal shook his head, "I wish I knew. But she won't tell me what's wrong. If she can't talk to me, how can I fix it?"

Erik nodded. That had been their problem at the beginning of their relationship too...neither one was capable of expressing their true feelings.

"There's something else bothering me," Jellal said in a low voice.

Erik glanced at him, waiting for him to continue.

"All those years ago...Kyoka...she swore she would spend the rest of her life making up for her wrongdoings," Jellal stated.

"Yeah...?" Erik said.

"Well," Jellal continued, looking back at his friend, "Her soul was promised to Crime Sorciere. She's been dead for awhile now. And now Samuel's dead too. He also promised his soul to Crime Sorciere..."

Erik shook his head, still not understanding as Jellal turned to face him.

Jellal took a deep breath.

"So how come they haven't reported to you?"


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Okay so WOW MASHIMA! How many people are following the manga? It's getting SO GOOD! Lots of people wondering how what's happening in the manga will affect this story. Long explanation short, it won't. It just makes my creative juices work a little harder :D SO excited for this chapter...Enjoy!**_

 ** _~Shana~_**

* * *

The ambulance wailed onto the scene of the accident, lights ablaze, just as the Magnolia City Department opened the gates that would allow them access to a passed out Lark. Natsu was pacing to keep himself from picking his son up in his arms.

"Mavis," Gajeel whispered under his breath. He looked at the enormous wall, "Lark tried to skate that? What was he thinking?"

The ambulance crew went straight to work, assessing Lark's injuries.

Gray held Wendy close to him as he watched the entire scene. She'd healed Lark's laceration internally as much as she could for the time being. Now that the ambulance was there, she had to back off. Erza, Sorano, Ezel and Juvia were just arriving. Their mouths dropped open in shock.

"I have to call Lucy!" Natsu's face was drained of colour, "I have to go in the ambulance! I have to find a place for the other kids to go while Lucy meets me at the hospital!"

Gajeel placed a hand on Natsu's shoulder. Natsu had been a cop for awhile now and he was well-known for his cool head when there was an emergency. But this was his own kid. And Natsu was freaking out.

Erza and Juvia sent waves of comfort toward Natsu. It was somewhat effective. He stood in a stupor, watching as the paramedics carefully maneuvered Lark onto a stretcher, attempting to stabilize his shocked body.

"Levy kept the other kids home from school," Gajeel told Natsu, his hand on his friend's shoulder, "They're at our house. Aki can babysit while Levy drives Lucy to the hospital. You don't want her behind the wheel of the car when she hears about this. Go get in the ambulance. I'll take care of everything else."

Tears sprang into Natsu's eyes.

"Thanks Gaj," he whispered, then starting running for the ambulance crew to explain who he was.

Wendy watched the entire scene blankly from her place nestled in Gray's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I didn't save him," she whispered, "I wasn't fast enough. I took the brunt of most of the fall, but I didn't save him from getting hurt."

"We're Angels, not God," Gray told her, "We can't be everywhere at once. Did you heal him?"

She shook her head, "Not enough. There wasn't time. I'll go to the hospital and try to help there."

The ambulance was screaming as it drove past on the dirt road, heading for the hospital with both Natsu and Lark on board.

"No Angel of Death came for him," Juvia reminded Wendy, sending some comfort through her, "So you _did_ save him. He will be fine."

The Angels stood together, watching the ambulance wail away into the distance. Mira and Happy were the last to arrive, joining Gajeel, Gray, Juvia, Erza, Sorano and Ezel.

"I told you," Happy cried to Mira, pointing an angry paw at her. Tears streamed down his face, "I need to go back to my family...they're falling apart without me."

* * *

"Where's your lover?" Toby asked Daisuke as they walked up the stairs to the entrance of the high school.

The bell had just rung. As much as Daisuke would have liked to have pounded Toby into the ground for being a dick, as usual, he had other, more important worries on his mind.

"He's probably out screwing the teacher!" Yuka laughed.

Choosing to ignore Toby and Yuka for now, Daisuke held on to Sora's arm protectively as he ushered her inside the corridors of the school. She had only just arrived at school and Daisuke knew within seconds of looking at her that something was seriously wrong.

Sora's face was white and her body was visibly shaking.

"Sora…" Daisuke said, looking her up and down. She had band-aids on her arms, legs, and forehead, "What the hell is going on? Where's Lark? I don't see any of the other Dragneel kids either."

He noted the tears threatening to spill out of Sora's eyes. Glancing around the busy hallway, he grabbed her hand and guided her into the study hall. It was always empty first period…nobody should bother them.

"Sora…" he whispered, both hands on her upper arms.

She wouldn't look at him. He could feel her body quaking underneath his grasp.

"Please tell me what's going on," Daisuke begged, "You're scaring me."

She tried to look at him and found she couldn't. Her body started shaking harder as she dissolved into tears.

Daisuke was at a loss. He had never seen Sora so upset. Even after Brielle's accident over the weekend, Sora hadn't cried in front of anyone (to Daisuke's knowledge). She dealt with her feelings quietly, although she was visibly upset...but this was a whole new level he 'd never seen from her before.

Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her into his embrace and let her cry.

* * *

The van pulled up to Levy's house and stopped. Happy saw Levy take a deep breath, glancing at the somber Dragneel kids in the rear view mirror.

"They'll need comfort," Mira reminded him, "but under no circumstances can you let them know you're here."

Happy nodded, tearing up slightly as he watched the 7 Dragneel kids follow Levy inside the house.

"My kids," he whispered, watching them file into the living room.

They were all still in their pyjamas. Aki's hair was on top of her hair in a messy bun. She held Brielle on her lap in the armchair and it occurred to Levy just how alike they looked. While Aki's hair was more pink than Brielle's blonde, pink-streaked hair, there was no mistaking they were sisters and very much Lucy's daughters. But the looks on their faces...both Levy and Happy's hearts broke.

Haru and Aimi sat on the love seat together, their sandy brown hair covering their eyes. Hansuke, Mieske, and Connor sat on the other couch. Their faces were all blank...completely expressionless. Hansuke's hair was pink like their father's, but Mieske and Connor were both blonde. Still, Happy thought as he watched them, to someone who didn't know better, the three could pass for triplets if they didn't take size into account.

"I'm going to see about some breakfast," Levy told them, retreating to the kitchen.

She closed the partition between the kitchen and the living room...not that the kids would be able to hear her speaking to Mira.

"I took Lucy to the hospital, then volunteered to keep the kids with me," she told Mira as they both sighed heavily, "And now we wait."

"You can't wait for someone to report in," Mira told her, "You have to try to talk to them."

They opened the partition a bit, noting the somber faces in the living room.

Levy nodded as they ducked back into the kitchen, "But what do I say? All they know is that Natsu and Lark were fighting. I can't tell them it'll be okay. I'm not sure if they know Lark hit Lucy or not."

Mira continued speaking to Levy as Happy wandered out of the kitchen, eyeing his kids in the living room. He sent out a wave of comfort.

"Aki..." Brielle whispered, "Why were Daddy and Lark yelling?"

"Lark didn't come home last night," Aki told her gently, "Don't worry. It's okay."

"But where did Lark go?" Connor asked.

Aki shook her head. She didn't know.

"Lark has been acting weird for awhile," Mieske piped up.

Hansuke glanced at him with an expression that almost looked like a warning.

"It doesn't matter," Aki told them, "Lark is Lark. He'll come around. Mom and Dad will handle it and we'll be back to normal by this afternoon. It's not a big deal."

Happy curled up on the top of the Lazy Boy that Aki and Brielle shared, sending _presence_ throughout the entire room. He felt helpless. His kids were in pain. And there wasn't a thing he could do to help them other than try to send out comfort.

"If it's not a big deal," Aimi said softly, looking her sister in the eyes, "Then how come we were told to leave the house?"

* * *

Cana stood with Loke, Laki, and Lisanna, watching Chico and Joey hug her parents. They had just returned to the Fairy Tail building moments ago. The verdict had just been handed down from the courts this morning. - Joey was officially emancipated from his parents and they could no longer communicate with either Joey or Chico until it was deemed that there would be no more violence.

Chico's parents had been phenomenal, sitting inside the courtroom with the young couple as the verdict was read. Joey's parents had been livid and his father had actually tried crossing the courtroom to where the young couple sat. That resulted in his arrest and the restraining order. Chico's parents vowed then and there to do whatever they could to help the young couple make it on their own. The furnished apartment Cana had taken them to see over the weekend was officially leased. Fairy Tail had paid for the first year of rent and arranged with the local university for Joey to take classes for 6 months of the year, then work for them for the other 6 months in exchange for his electrician certificate.

Joey and Chico waved goodbye to her parents. His arm dropped around her and he patted her belly.

"We're going to be okay," he said, looking at the Fairy Tail crew with admiration in his eyes, "Thank you."

"It was our pleasure," Laki assured them, "but we're not done yet."

Cana disappeared inside the door for a moment, reappearing with a large shopping cart wrapped in cellophane and a big red bow.

"What is that?" Chico asked, tears instantly flooding from her eyes when she clearly saw the baby stroller box through the plastic cellophane.

"These are supplies for the baby," Loke told her, "It's not everything you need, but it's a good start."

"There's diapers in there for the first 3 stages," Lisanna added, "And a stroller, bottle supplies, and some newborn clothing."

"The grant we received for you will be through on Friday," Kinana told them as she and Mest exited the Fairy Tail doors to join them outside, "It will give you a small allowance every month to get whatever else you need."

Joey and Chico exchanged a hug, both of them crying now.

"We can't thank you enough," Joey said, reaching out to shake Loke's hand, "There's seriously no way to repay you."

Loke shook his head, "Pay it forward, Joey. Do well with your schooling and raise that baby with good morals. One day, a situation might come up where you can help someone."

"And remember," Virgo added, also joining them out front, "Our job doesn't end here. If you ever need anything, come back to see us."

Joey nodded, taking Lisanna in for a hug.

"C'mon!" Laki said cheerfully, "I'll take you to your new home."

She cast a glance at Cana and nodded. As discussed, she wasn't coming back to work afterward. She had another matter to handle.

Fairy Tail waved goodbye as Laki lead them, pushing the cart, to the large van. Loke already had the back ramp down to help her load the cart.

"This is Lucy's favourite part," Lisanna said quietly as the van left the curb, "She always comes to say goodbye to our clients. Something must be pretty off for her to miss this."

The others agreed silently, giving one last wave as the van disappeared around the corner.

* * *

Jellal, Erik and Minerva sat on the top of the jail roof with the team that had been designated to join Crime Sorciere in looking out for the two remaining criminals of Tartaros.

Midnight MacBeth, Michelle Imitatia, and Racer Sawyer sat across from them in a stare down that could only be described as 'awkward'.

"It's been awhile..." Racer said. His voice was heavy as he addressed Erik, spitting his name out like a rancid taste, "...Cobra."

"You know I don't go by that name anymore," Erik told him, "And it's hardly the issue at hand."

"We've been watching that loser, Jackal, for over a week now," MacBeth yawned, "Nothing has happened. This meeting is a waste of time."

"It's not a waste of time," Minerva argued, "I'm not sure if you were told that whoever killed Kyoka and attacked Kari took another victim last night."

All three of the newcomers glanced up, eyeing the three Crime Sorciere members.

"They got Samuel Zentopia last night," Jellal informed them, "Which means they're coming for either Dan or Jackal next. We need a solid plan."

"I don't know why," Michelle said flatly, "If Samuel Zentopia and Dan Straight were in the same building, they would have taken Dan out at the same time if they wanted him."

Jellal and Erik exchanged glances. Apparently, these Angels had quite the chips on their shoulders. Racer was eyeing Erik as though he was contemplating jumping the table and beating the tar out of him.

"Look," Jellal said sternly, "I don't care what happened in the past. It's done. It's gone. You want to be bitter about it, fine! Go nuts. But we have to work together on this whether you like it or not and Heaven has declared Crime Sorciere officially in charge of the investigation. Either you lose the attitudes, or go back to Heaven and explain why you quit."

Both Racer and MacBeth laughed at that.

"Thought you weren't the boss man anymore," Michelle ran a finger down Jellal's bicep, "Didn't you step down to let the weasel take over?"

"That's enough!" Minerva slammed her hands down on the table as she stood up, "Erik is a changed man. And he has paid his debt to Heaven ten-fold. It's like Jellal said. If you can't work with us, quit the team. Crime Sorciere will handle the murder investigations alone."

Racer, MacBeth, and Michelle all stood up, meeting Minerva's challenging glare.

"Fine by me," Racer spat, turning and disappearing as he _transported._

Michelle glared at Minerva before she spun on her heel and disappeared as well.

MacBeth stood still, contemplating.

"It was a long time ago," Erik told him, "And I told you back then that I was sorry for dragging you into things."

MacBeth stared at him, "We were friends, Cobra."

Erik nodded, not trying to defend himself.

"I need to think about it," MacBeth told him, "But if I were you, I'd be putting Jackal and Dan under the same roof. It will be much easier to protect both of them."

With that, MacBeth disappeared.

"What just happened?" Minerva asked with wide eyes.

It was obvious both Jellal and Erik were familiar with the other three Angels. In Heaven, most differences got resolved upon admittance to the Pearly Gates. Minerva was a bit floored at the bitterness the air still had, even though all three Angels had disappeared.

* * *

Romeo glanced around the somewhat empty police department, heading for the briefing room. He was late, but hopefully Sting would be in a good mood, considering he'd made up with his wife and all.

"Conbolt!" Sting called him as he appeared at the door, "Nice of you to join us. Sit down, please. We were just about to get started."

Romeo's eyes widened. He was on time? Glancing quickly at his watch, he realized it was already 10 minutes past the usual start of the briefing meeting.

"Sting had an emergency this morning," Jet whispered to him, "Your partner didn't have a very good morning."

Romeo's mouth dropped open, "Is he okay?"

Jet shook his head, "Physically, yes...I'm guessing Sting and Rogue will make an official announcement now."

"First off," Sting said, sitting on the edge of the table up front, "You may have heard bits and pieces throughout the last hour or two while Rogue and I have been fielding phone calls. It's true that something did happen."

"Natsu's son had an accident this morning," Rogue continued, "And he's in the hospital, currently undergoing surgery."

"What kind of accident?" Droy called out.

"He fell down the dam," Rogue said quietly.

The officers murmured amongst themselves for a moment. The dam was restricted for a reason. Natsu was a damned good cop, but the fellow officers had been called to Lark-related incidents more than once in the past few months. It wasn't that surprising that he'd breached the barrier.

"Is he okay?" Yukino asked finally.

Sting shook his head, "We don't know yet. But Magnolia isn't going to stop functioning in the meantime. We still have jobs to do. We will keep everyone posted as we find out information. Here's today's postings..."

Sting continued to go over the morning assignments, but Romeo didn't hear much after that. He knew Natsu and Lark had their differences, but he could only wish he had the relationship with Macao that Lark had with Natsu. Lark had it good - and it disgusted Romeo that he could be so selfish at times.

"Romeo," Sting called as the meeting broke apart, waking Romeo up from his thoughts.

Romeo turned as Sting and Rogue approached.

"We have some paperwork to do this morning," Rogue told him, "But if you'll help us, maybe the three of us can go to the hospital and check on Natsu."

Romeo nodded gratefully, following the two men to Sting's office.

* * *

Lucy stood at the door of the hospital room, watching her 16-year-old son sleep. Tears streamed down her face. She loved him. Oh, how she loved him. And she had never been so relieved to see him as she was at that moment. As injured as he was...he was _alive._ Her chest started to heave with the weight of her sobs.

Natsu needed to get her out of there. If Lark woke up and saw his mother in pieces, it wouldn't be good.

She felt her husband's arms wrap around her waist as he reached for the handle to their son's door, closing it. He ushered her away to the lobby before enveloping her in her a firm hug.

"He's going to be okay," Natsu promised, his chin on top of her head.

"I don't understand _why_ ," Lucy murmured, "Why does he keep doing these stupid stunts? Why would he sneak out at night like that? Why couldn't he just talk to us instead of running?"

Lark had been extremely lucky, only fracturing his left arm and some ribs, and suffering a large gash on his forehead. He had some bruising and nasty cuts throughout his body and a severe concussion...but he was alive. Looking at the scene of the accident, nobody could really understand how he wasn't dead, let alone that he survived with the relatively minor injuries he sustained...at least relatively minor compared to what could have been. The arm had required surgery and his forehead injury had required stitches. He had some internal bruising on one side. He hadn't woken up yet, but the doctors assured Natsu and Lucy that he needed to sleep to help him start healing.

"What are we going to do with him?" Lucy asked, wiping her tears from her eyes.

Natsu kissed her nose, "What we always do…we'll love him through this. How's your eye?"

"It's fine," she promised, "It doesn't hurt."

"He hit you," Natsu seethed, "That's the one thing - _the one thing_ \- that I can't let slide."

It wasn't as black as Natsu initially thought it would be, but it was definitely painful-looking.

Lucy's face paled, "I can't agree with you there, Natsu...I still say it was better me than you. If it'd been you, things might be a _lot_ worse than they are now. He needs our understanding now more than ever. He's scared and he knows he was out of line. Can't we just pretend it didn't happen?"

Natsu sighed, his wife getting to him as usual. She could always calm him down, "I'll try, Luce. But I think pretending things don't happen is what got us to this point."

She froze, knowing there was some truth to his words. Finally, she nodded, willing herself to stop crying, "Let's go back to him. I don't want to leave him alone for too long."

"Luce," Natsu said, softly stroking her cheek, "You have to be ready to go back. He can't see you this upset."

She nodded firmly, "I'm good. I don't want him to wake up alone."

* * *

"They were right about one thing," Erik said pointedly as he sat with Minerva and Erik, still on top of the jail where Jackal was held, "We should somehow arrange Jackal and Dan to be together. It will be easier to watch over them."

"It didn't stop the murderer the other night," Minerva pointed out, "Putting them together might be like dangling the carrot. The murderer could take them both out at once - and half the inmates with them if we are forced into a fight."

"What are you suggesting?" Erik asked, watching Minerva and Jellal exchange glances.

"Getting them away from the other inmates," Jellal said slowly.

"Where could we take them that would provide the security of a jail?" Erik demanded, "Whether they've pledged to mend their ways or not, they are still felons and convicts."

"There's only one place that I can think of," Jellal stated.

* * *

Wendy sat on Lark's bed unnoticed as a nurse checked his vitals. Gray and Gajeel had come to the hospital too. Gajeel joined them in _transparency._ Juvia and Erza had volunteered to oversee Fairy Tail to free the three of them up to look after Lark, Natsu and Lucy, but they were going to join the other Angels when it was time to tell the Dragneel kids what was going on.

Wendy was still waiting for an opportunity to be alone with Lark so that she could help heal him, but neither Natsu or Lucy would leave Lark's side.

They were on either side of Lark, each with a hand on Lark's shoulder. All three of them slept. Wendy chuckled lightly as she realized Natsu was still in his pajamas. Apparently in the emergent nature of the day, no one had brought a change of clothes to the hospital.

"We're going to check on the kids while things are quiet," Gray told her, "Levy is taking Sora and Daisuke out of school soon so the parents can tell them what's going on. Mira and Levy might need some back up."

Gajeel grunted, "And we need to update the Dragneel kids too. Might as well do it at the same time."

"Are you okay?" Gray asked Wendy, laying a concerned arm on her shoulder.

"It's fine," she promised, "I'm just watching for an opportunity to heal him."

The other two nodded as they disappeared.

* * *

"Do you want to get out of here?" Daisuke asked Sora.

They'd skipped the entire first period by the time Sora calmed down enough to go to class. He stuck close to her, thankfully sharing the next two classes with her. But he wouldn't share _all_ of her classes that day. He was worried about sending her to the next class alone. Especially because Yuka and Toby would be in that class.

She'd stopped shaking, but she was still upset. She hadn't said a word yet. Sora took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"No," she said finally, "I'm in enough trouble…and we've already skipped first period."

He glanced up at the teacher, still immersed in his lecture and completely oblivious to their conversation, "Can you tell me what happened now?"

She nodded slowly, "Lark and I snuck out last night. We fell asleep in the park and got busted this morning."

Daisuke studied her expression, "That's not all, though."

She shook her head, "My parents grounded me and they're not done yet. Lark…he got into a fight with Natsu. He hit Lucy."

Daisuke froze, unable to react. He couldn't see Lark ever hurting Lucy.

"I don't know the details," she sniffed, "I only know what I overheard this morning and what my parents told me. He's missing and everyone is scrambling to find him. My mother dropped me off here and then went to get the Dragneel kids."

"He hit Lucy?" Daisuke repeated, "I don't understand."

Sora shook her head. It didn't make sense to her either.

"Ms. Redfox and Mr. Cheney!" the teacher scolded, "Perhaps you'd like to take over for me and teach the class the rest of the lesson, since you obviously already know the content of it? Otherwise, you'd be paying attention!"

"Sorry," Daisuke said out loud.

The overhead announcement chimed, " _SORA REDFOX AND DAISUKE CHENEY – PLEASE REPORT TO THE OFFICE."_

"Oooooooooh," their classmates chimed.

 _"_ Go," the teacher nodded to them, shooting her other students a look of disapproval.

Sora sighed, "We've been busted for skipping. If I wasn't in trouble before…"

Daisuke took her hand, "I'll take the blame."

He held her hand all the way to the office, noting her palm getting shaky again. He'd never seen Sora so shaken up.

Laki was pacing the office. She offered a weak smile as Daisuke and Sora entered it.

"Mom?" Daisuke asked, frowning.

"I'm pulling you both from school," Laki told them, glancing briefly at their intertwined hands, "Go get your stuff."

* * *

"You're kidding, right?" Sting asked.

"No," Jellal said solemnly, "I know it's a lot to ask, but until we know what's going on, I feel it might be our best option."

Sting took a deep breath. He and Rogue had finished the paperwork, but just as they were walking out the door with Romeo to go see Natsu, Sting had seen Jellal beckoning him from the shadows. Sting had told Rogue and Romeo to go ahead...he'd catch up.

"How do you think Lucy and Levy will feel about this?" he asked, "And what about the crew at Fairy Tail? Are they even equipped for such a job?"

Jellal snorted, "Gajeel's in charge of security at Fairy Tail."

Sting sighed heavily, understanding the statement. Gajeel had secured the Fairy Tail building himself. Nothing was getting in or out of the building without his knowledge. Beyond that, each room in the building was a paranoid-of-the-apocalypse man's dream. The building was nothing short of a bunker.

"The police will be behind you," Sting promised, "but you have to run it by Fairy Tail first…before you make your suggestion to the wardens. Fairy Tail should have the right to refuse the request."

Jellal nodded, "Thank you, old friend."

In the next instant, Sting was alone again. He sighed, worry crossing his brow. There was far too much going on in Magnolia right now. Deep down, he didn't like the idea of bringing Dan and Jackal to Magnolia any more than he suspected the Fairy Tail crew would, but he swore 16 years ago that he would do everything in his power to help his Angel counterparts...and he intended to keep his promise.

* * *

Natsu sat out in the lobby with Sting, Rogue and Romeo. He had just finished explaining Lark's injuries, his head in his hands. Sting and Rogue exchanged glances, Natsu's obvious stress level bothering them because they both _knew_ he would not show that to Lucy.

"It's my fault," Natsu said quietly, "I lost it when he hit Lucy. Every ounce of restraint I had in my body disappeared."

"He's been pushing you for months," Romeo argued, "If you'd hit him, he would have deserved it. And it's just plain immaturity that makes him go do stupid shit every time something stressful happens to turn the attention back on him."

"Romeo!" Sting reprimanded sharply.

"It's true," Romeo seethed, "Seriously, Natsu...all I'm saying is that I don't blame you for losing it on him. Plus, you've had two majorly stressful incidents back to back...both of them directly related to Lark."

"Lark _saved_ Brielle," Rogue protested, "That was an accident."

A shadow crossed Natsu's face, but he didn't say anything.

Romeo opened his mouth to continue, but a sharp glare from Sting stopped him.

"We are here to let you know if you need anything at all, we are here for you," Sting told Natsu, "Yukino can help Levy with looking after the kids."

"Laki and I are here too," Rogue added, "Anything you need. Laki will tell Fairy Tail what's going on this afternoon. She didn't this morning because nobody knew anything. But you know they'll all be there for you too."

Natsu nodded his thanks, working to get himself together again so he could put his game face on.

* * *

Laki arrived at Gajeel and Levy's house, leading a very confused Daisuke and Sora behind her. She had watched with a keen eye when Daisuke didn't let Sora's hand go, even when Sora had taken the front seat. She concluded that it wasn't a romantic thing (although she would not discourage that). Her son was offering comfort to Sora. And Sora really needed it. In all the years she'd known Sora Redfox, she had never seen this expression on her face.

Laki refused to tell them why she'd pulled them from school, but as they entered the house, they saw all of the Dragneel kids, minus Lark, and the somber Levy and Gajeel sitting on the furniture.

"What's going on, Mom?" Daisuke demanded as he crossed the room to sit on the chair beside Aki. He pulled Sora with him. Aki glanced at their joined hands blankly.

Beside her, Levy and Gajeel glanced at each other, Gajeel growling lowly as he too spotted Daisuke holding on to Sora's hand.

"There's been an accident," Levy said in an even voice, "Lark had an accident this morning. He's okay, but he's badly injured."

The other kids gasped.

"What the hell is going on?" Aki demanded.

"Aki – your language!" Aimi warned.

"I don't care right now!" Aki stood up, placing Brielle gently back into the arm chair, "We've been here for hours and the only information we have is what we saw this morning – Dad and Lark yelling – and this information now that our brother is injured! We deserve an explanation!"

Waves of comfort permeated the room. Standing around the group of humans, Gray, Juvia, Erza, Mira, and Happy were all sending vibes of calmness out.

"You _do_ deserve an explanation," Levy told Aki, "And that's what we're trying to give you. Sit down please."

Aki nodded, slightly embarrassed by her outburst, "I'm sorry, Auntie Levy."

She took her place back with Brielle.

"Lark and your dad had a fight," Gajeel acknowledged, "And it got heated...very heated. Lark got angry and took off."

"To the dam," Sora said, barely loud enough for the other kids to hear, but there was no mistaking the horror on her face as it drained of colour. _Lark was injured...he'd tried to skate the dam. He hit Lucy._ The thoughts whirled around in her head, making her feel worse by the second. Daisuke squeezed her hand, wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. He didn't care about the curious glances he was getting.

Levy nodded, "Yes. Lark was at the dam and he fell."

The other kids whimpered.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" Haru asked.

"At the hospital with Lark," Levy told them.

"So what do we do now?" Mieske asked.

Gajeel searched the faces of the Dragneel kids, feeling the multitudes of comfort waves emanating from the hidden Angels around the room. He was thankful for his colleagues. The kids seemed to have taken the news rather well thanks to their support.

"We wait," he told them, "Natsu and Lucy will check in with us soon, I'm sure. Levy will spend the night at your house tonight so you can sleep in your own beds."

Mira glanced at Happy, the expression on his face tipping her off to his absolute horror. His kids were in pain. And all he could do was send out waves of comfort. She sent a wave toward him specifically.

"They're not going to mention that Lark hit Lucy," Gray said to Juvia.

She shook her head, "That's likely for the best."

Sora and Daisuke exchanged glances, both of them thinking the same thing as tears filled Sora's eyes again. Daisuke didn't hesitate to take her in his arms, burying her face in his chest as she began to shake again.

The other kids were breaking down a bit too, but nobody could mistake the guilt and pain Sora was feeling right then.

* * *

Natsu and Lucy were really out, Natsu snoring lightly. Since Natsu and Lucy refused to leave him, it would be a good idea to try healing him while they were both asleep. She hesitated, then became _transparent_ as she took in Larcade's handsome features. His face was bruised and there were multiple raw spots from hitting the pavement, but to her, it didn't make him any less attractive. She knew he could see her in this form, even if no one else could, but she couldn't help herself. If he woke up, she wanted him to know he wasn't alone. He was sleeping anyway...so it would be okay. She laid her hands on him, pouring out her healing to the worst of his injuries. Light particles glowed as she concentrated, her face lighting up slightly.

She finished healing the nerves in his arm and the bruising to his ribs, reaching up to touch his forehead. It was bandaged, but she knew from her earlier observations in the ER, that he would definitely have scarring. She had stayed with him throughout the entire operation, throwing in her healing as opportunity allowed and listening to the doctors' conversations, which was mostly comprised of which golf course they would hit next week.

He caught her wrist just as she was about to touch his forehead. Wendy blushed deeply as he locked eyes with her.

Neither Natsu nor Lucy stirred.

"Who are you?" he whispered.

There were a lot of reasons this was awkward for Wendy. While she knew Larcade well from years of guarding the entire family, he didn't have a clue who she was. Also, there was the fact that she was allowing him to see her. Crime Sorciere, Gray and Juvia, and Erza and Jellal all realized several years ago that Lark had the ability to see them as Angels and were very careful in how they guarded the family so he wouldn't see them. Wendy knew better...and yet, she hadn't _concealed_ herself.

Furthermore, she should _not_ be letting him touch her.

But _MAVIS_ how she loved the way he was touching her. Her wrist was warm where he held her, shooting sparks of electricity through her body.

There was no point in pretending to be human. He already knew she was an Angel. She could see it in his eyes.

"My name is Wendy," she said soothingly, "I'm here to help you heal."

He glanced around the hospital room, realizing what must have happened. He noted both of his parents fast asleep in the chairs beside the hospital bed, Lucy's head resting on the pillow beside Lark's. Her purple-tinged eye sent a remorseful twinge coursing through Lark's veins. His arm throbbed, but he figured he must be on some good pain medications, because it wasn't anywhere near the excruciating pain he remembered having just before he passed out. Either that, or Wendy had been with him for awhile now. Maybe a combination of both.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

She opened her mouth in shock. He wasn't going to question that she was there to heal him?

"You've got a badly broken arm," she said, "I didn't mend the bones completely because that will look too suspicious, but I healed the nerve endings and the tear in the muscle and also some of the bruising to your ribcage. You're going to feel that for awhile regardless though. I was just about to heal your forehead. There's a nasty gash there."

She blushed, realizing she'd been babbling a bit. Thank Mavis he was awake now when she was about to heal with forehead...and not a few moments when she'd been healing his ribs. If she was red now...

He smiled at her, then settled back onto his pillow and nodded, "Go ahead."

She hesitated, heat shooting through her body as she noted he had his eyes locked on her. He was staring intently, making chills run down her back. It was an odd sensation, but not at all unpleasant.

Lark was thinking the same thing about the sensation of the healing hand she placed on him. Her eyes were an amazing colour. Everything about her exuded _peace._

She placed her hand on his forehead, light emanating through it. He closed his eyes, relishing in the warmth of her palm pressed the bandage on his head. She focused as she poured healing into him.

She was remarkably gentle. She worked with precision, taking care not to bump anything that would hurt...which was a feat considering his entire body was banged up.

His eyes opened again.

"My headache is better," he murmured.

She smiled, closing her eyes again to concentrate.

"You're really pretty," he whispered as he watched her.

Wendy blushed. Her long, dark blue hair was parted into two long pigtails. She wore simple human clothes - a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Wendy didn't see anything special about herself.

Still, nobody had ever told her she was pretty before. She was the baby of Crime Sorciere and the others treated her as such. She had no doubt she was loved by the other Angels in Crime Sorciere, but in a lot of ways, she was lonely sometimes. She was the youngest by far and she'd never really had a family of her own, other than Gajeel when she was a child. She wished she had a few more Angels around her age to hang out with. And something about the way Lark spoke to her sent shivers through her spine. Technically, she was many years his senior, but since she was an Angel, she would remain 16 for a long time yet. It made her feel good to receive such a compliment from someone her age.

"Thank you," she said finally, opening her eyes.

She removed her hand, trying not to blush anymore. He was staring at her. On impulse, she reached out, running her fingers through his thick blonde hair.

"I can't stop it from scarring," she said softly, "I'm really sorry."

He gave her a lop-sided smile, leaning into her hand, "It doesn't matter. War wounds. It'll make me more popular at school."

Wendy giggled, again struck at how handsome he was. His blonde hair reached his shoulders, layered into spiky peaks. It was soft in her fingers. His eyes were so dark brown, they were almost black. He was shirtless to accommodate the bandaging the doctors had had to do after his surgery to immobilize his shoulder and arm, revealing a chiseled chest and abdomen.

"Thank you for your help," he murmured.

"You should be a little more mindful of what you do," she scolded him gently, trying to take her mind off of her indecent thoughts, "You really scared Natsu and Lucy this time."

"I messed up," he acknowledged, glancing over to Natsu.

His gaze went to the other side of the bed, resting on the woman who chose to be his mother.

"What have I done?" he whispered, focusing in on Lucy's swollen eye. It was not an easy feat. His concussion, although decidedly better, was still making his vision blur.

He reached to the side of the bed to caress Lucy's cheek with his good hand.

"She doesn't care about that," Wendy said softly, "All she cares about right now is you."

Lark forced back a tear, looking down at his arm, secured tightly in a wrap against his body.

"You weren't trying to kill yourself, were you?" Wendy asked softly.

"No," Lark replied, "The adrenaline rushes...they help me get rid of my frustrations."

"And that's why you do stupid things sometimes."

He nodded, closing his eyes as he enjoyed her fingers in his hair. He leaned into her hand, loving the way she was so gentle with him.

"There are better ways to vent your frustrations," she said softly. His hair was so silky. She longed to know what it would feel like for him to touch her hair. She shook her head, throwing the thought away.

"It was you, wasn't it?" he asked, "You saved me. I could feel you protecting me."

She nodded after a long moment, "I tried to stop you from doing it in the first place. I wasn't fast enough."

"It's my fault," Lark said quietly, "I messed up so bad. I'm lucky they're here with me. I won't be surprised if I've ruined that now. They've been nothing but good to me...and I've..."

"They love you," Wendy interrupted gently, "Natsu and Lucy know that you're hurting. Give them a chance to help you, Larcade. There's so many other ways to process emotion than pulling stupid stunts for the adrenaline rush."

"I can't tell them I can see Angels," he whispered to her.

"Yes, you can," she encouraged, "Natsu and Lucy know more about Angels than you think. They just don't _remember_ that."

Her eyes widened, realizing she'd said too much, but Lark was too contented with her light head massage to care.

"They love you," she reiterated, "Give them a chance, Larcade. Let them be there for you."

Her gentle words struck a chord in Lark as she leaned forward, kissing the bandage that covered his forehead injury. He felt a wave of comfort pass through him. She held her lips there for a long moment, loving the intimacy of it. She had no idea what prompted her to be so forward. Maybe she craved the attention. It was so completely unlike her. She was crossing so many lines all at once, she wondered if she'd be struck down where she stood...she had to get out of there.

"I have to go," she whispered, "Be good, Larcade. And don't be so hard on yourself. Learn from this. Reach out to Natsu and Lucy. You might be surprised at how much they understand."

She removed her hand from his hair and got off the bed, deciding to go through the door because he was still watching her so intently. He lifted his good hand in protest.

"Please don't go!"

Wendy blushed again, "I _have_ to go. I've already stayed too long."

"Will I see you again?" Lark asked, his hand still extended toward her. He really didn't want her to go. He willed her to come back and keep playing with his hair. Briefly, he wondered if he was dreaming. He'd never had such a conversation with any of the Angels he saw, let alone had them touch him...and him touch them. He was _drawn_ to her...she was, by far, the most beautiful Angel he'd ever seen.

"I'll be seeing you," she promised. The look in his eyes compelled her not to go. She hesitated momentarily, trying to understand the strong pull she felt to go back to him. She couldn't. She had to go before she crossed any more lines.

He caught her cryptic insinuation. _She'd been watching him for awhile. But she didn't intend to let him see her again._

"Tell me what you meant!" Lark blurted out. He was desperate to make her stay. He didn't understand why, but every fibre of his being wished for her to remain with him, "About Natsu and Lucy knowing about Angels...do they know about Gajeel and Levy? Is that what you meant?"

Wendy froze mid-step. She really regretted saying that out loud. To boot, it appeared that he was not oblivious to Gajeel and Levy's real identities. Crossing the room, she caressed his face, their eyes locking.

"Lark," she whispered, "What you need to know is that Natsu and Lucy love you. You have a lot of people that love you. Nothing else matters. Confide in them. Let them see the other side of you. Tell them your secret. The rest of our conversation...none of that is important."

He opened his mouth to protest as she withdrew her hand, smiling gently at him as she backed away. She waved her hand as she walked through the door, erasing his memories of the last 10 minutes.

Lark stared at the door for several minutes, dumbfounded.

"Silly girl," he whispered, "I won't forget you that easily...or our conversation. And I will definitely see you again."

He sighed heavily, glancing at his sleeping parents on either side of him. His emotions warred inside him. Part of him felt warm and fuzzy because of his conversation with Wendy...the other side of him was filled with remorse and anguish for what had happened with Lucy. He was sorry...so sorry. But being sorry might not save him this time. Natsu had been really angry...and truth be told, Lark couldn't stop associating him directly with his nightmares now. He couldn't get the image of Natsu covered in fire out of his mind. He was a little worried about going home.

 _Home._

He sighed heavily. He hoped he would still have a home when this incident was over and done with. If they kicked him out, he would deserve it.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Okay...So I know I'm a day early...again. I have something else I need to work on this weekend. Apologies! Enjoy the chapter :)**_

 _ **~Shana~**_

 _ **Quick note from otakuprincess... be ready to have your tissues out and keep your hands in the vehicle at all times guys! This emotional Rollercoaster is sure to be a bumpy ride...**_

* * *

The inmates at Fiore Correctional Maximum Security prison were leaving their cells to go to the breakfast hall, but Dan was finding it hard to get out of bed. All day yesterday, whispers echoed throughout the halls about Samuel's murder. It pissed Dan off. Just because he'd spent the day in his cell didn't mean he couldn't hear them when they passed by. He was right in assuming that he would be the only one who would miss Samuel Zentopia.

"C'mon Straight! I'm hungry!" his guard demanded.

Dan pulled himself to his feet, despite his reluctance, and followed the guard in silence. The abnormally loud breakfast hall fell silent as he lumbered into it. All eyes focused on him.

"What the fuck…" he whispered, staring at the picture of a cartoon Shar Pei in a leather jacket, pegged to the wall. A jackknife stabbed the Shar Pei in the forehead. Someone had drawn red around the entire dog.

"Who did that?" the guard demanded, stalking over to it. He ripped the drawing down and withdrew the jackknife, closing it before tossing it to another guard to dispose of at the warden's office.

Dan knew nobody would confess, so he continued to the cafeteria line to receive his crappy, frost-bitten Eggo waffles and 2 slices of bacon. At least the Eggos were warm this morning.

He sat at an empty spot toward the end of the row closest to the door. The sooner he was done breakfast, the faster he could get the hell out of there.

"Your protection is gone now," the inmate called Sugarboy said casually from beside him. He was one of the inmates Dan had had problems with when he first got there, "You better watch your back."

"I can fight my own battles," Dan spat back, "Nobody's bothered me for years. That's not going to change just because Samuel's gone."

Sugarboy laughed, "You have no idea, do you?"

Another inmate, known only as Guttman, let out a low chuckle, cracking his knuckles symbolically.

Dan pushed away his food, getting up to walk away.

"He screamed like a little girl," Guttman snorted, "I could hear him and I was 3 or 4 cell blocks away."

Dan froze, his anger coursing through his veins.

"I don't even think he fought back," Sugarboy added, "Dumb fuck was dead before—"

Dan grabbed the back of Sugarboy's blonde head and smashed it into the table three quick consecutive times. Blood sprayed all over his half-eaten food.

"I don't need Samuel's protection," Dan repeated, "My brother wasn't perfect, but he was my brother and you _will_ respect his memory around me. Don't ever mention his name again or I swear…I _will_ kill you."

He straightened up, wiping some blood from his fingers onto Guttman's coveralls, and headed out of the lunchroom, not looking back.

* * *

Lucy glanced back at her husband, sprawled out on the pathetic cot the hospital had loaned them to sleep on overnight. She was exhausted. She'd stayed up for a good portion of the night, watching their eldest son in his sleep.

His restlessness while sleeping had been the only sign of movement they'd seen from him since coming out of surgery yesterday. He'd murmured a few times what sounded to both Natsu and Lucy like "Wendy", but he didn't open his eyes.

Still, Lark hadn't officially awakened from his sleep. The doctor assured him that it was normal since he'd had a bit of a head trauma, but fully expected him to wake up at any time. In the meantime, the sleep would only help him. His body was simply trying to heal itself.

They'd already been on the phone to Levy and Gajeel that morning. The other kids had asked to stay home from school again today and Levy hadn't argued with them. However, she _had_ pushed her own daughter out the door, promising that she and Daisuke could visit with Lark later, provided that he improved during the day.

Lucy placed her head in his hands, sighing deeply.

"C'mon Lark…wake up," she pleaded softly.

As if he'd heard her, Lark stirred a bit, cracking his eyes open slightly.

"Lark," Lucy whispered, "Thank Mavis…how are you feeling?"

She glanced back at Natsu again, wondering if she should wake him, but decided against it. The tension between them had been too intense yesterday. The last thing she wanted was to stress Lark out right after waking up. Besides, she wanted to assess Lark for herself first.

"Ugh," Lark groaned, "I've felt better."

"I'll get a nurse," Lucy said immediately, moving to get out of the chair.

"Wait," Lark murmured.

Lucy stopped, turning to Lark.

"I'm sorry," Lark whispered. He didn't have tears to cry, but the look on his face said it all. Of all the people in the world, Lucy was the one he would never, ever hurt purposely. The fact that he'd taken a swing at anyone was alarming to him. The fact that he'd hit Lucy...

Lucy bent over Lark's bed, gently, pulling his good side into a hug, "I love you, Lark. We might have our issues at times, but nothing will ever change that. I know you didn't want any of that to happen."

"Natsu's going to kick me out," Lark murmured.

Lucy pulled back, assessing the forlorn look on his face, "Lark, why would you ever think that? We would never kick you out!"

"I hit you," Lark said, the guilt and anguish he felt expressed in his eyes, "I would deserve it."

Lucy took him into her arms again, stroking his hair. It didn't feel like when Wendy did it. It was much more…motherly. Still, he felt comforted by her touch.

"Never," Lucy murmured, "We have a lot of talking to do, but we would never, ever kick you out. And it's _Dad_ , Lark...not 'Natsu'."

Lark nodded. His eyes were still heavy. He wondered if Wendy had been helping him sleep with some sort of Angelic intervention. Was she even still there? He glanced around the room, looking for traces of Angelic glow. There were no signs whatsoever. Of course, he half-expected that. Wendy had tried to erase his memory of their conversation, so of course she would be using whatever trick the rest of the Angels who followed Fairy Tail used to disappear from his sight now.

"I'm going to get a nurse," Lucy told him, withdrawing from the hug, "I'll be right back."

Lark let out a deep breath, somewhat relieved by the fact that Lucy had seemingly forgiven him. His body did have minimal pain, but it seemed that Wendy had done a good job of healing the worst of his injuries.

He glanced over at Natsu, who was now getting out of the cot, watching Lark take in his surroundings. Lark froze in fear. Natsu didn't say anything at all as he got up and crossed the room to Lark's bedside... then pulled him into a gentle hug.

* * *

"Do you understand what you're asking us?" Virgo asked, her eyes clouded and dark as she contemplated what had just been asked of Fairy Tail.

The entire 8-Island crew, minus Lucy, were seated around the Board Room table with two representatives of the Fiore Correctional Board: Jellal Fernandez and his colleague, Erik Cubellios.

Jellal nodded solemnly, catching the eye of Gajeel Redfox, who sat at the end of the table. It had been with reluctance that Gajeel had joined Fairy Tail for this discussion, given everything else that was going on, but Jellal had specifically gone looking for Gajeel to ask him to be there. His solemn scowl darkened the table, making Jellal realize that by the end of the meeting, Erza would likely not be the only Angel completely ticked at him.

"Unfortunately, we _do_ know what we're asking you," Erik replied, "We are well-educated on the incident in Magnolia that both of these men were a part of 16 years ago. And we know that you were all directly involved too. The fact is, Fairy Tail has an impeccable reputation for protecting their clients and the prisons aren't safe for them right now. We need your help."

Lisanna shook her head slowly, "No. My vote is no."

"They would remain isolated the whole time," Jellal told them, "You would not have to have contact."

"No!" Laki half-yelled.

"Will you _think_ about it?" Erik asked, pushing a piece of paper toward Cana, "It will be worth your while."

She picked it up, reading the 7-digit dollar figure, then snarled her disgust as she pushed it toward Loke.

"You won't get an answer from us today no matter what you say," Loke told Jellal firmly, "We are missing an integral part of our management today. She should definitely get the final say since it was her nightmare that lead to their incarceration in the first place. No decision will be made without her. And as you can see, majority already rules that it's not going to happen."

Jellal nodded, "We understand your reluctance. Unfortunately, we are in a time crunch. These men need protection and they need it now."

"What makes you think Fairy Tail can protect Dan and Jackal if the prisons can't?" Loke asked Jellal and Erik.

"Because whoever is attacking these inmates," Erik supplied, "has done their homework on the location of each inmate in the prison. They know _where_ and _how_ to find them. But they won't find what they're looking for if we move them. It will buy police some time to figure out who's doing this and why."

"And how do you know it's Jackal and Dan they'll be after next?" Cana asked sharply. She still wasn't in favour of the idea. It didn't sit right with her at all and she was dying to go consult her cards.

"There's already been two other attacks," Jellal stated, "One on Kyoka and one on Kari. The fact that Samuel has now been taken out leads us to believe that whoever the murderer is, they're targeting the people who were directly related to your incident 16 years ago."

"All the more reason to say no!" Kinana threw her hands up in frustration, " _We_ were all involved in that incident 16 years ago!"

"We don't need to think about it," Mest told them, "If they're murdered in their cells, they deserve it. These men threatened Cana with a broken wine bottle. They strapped bombs to Lisanna, Virgo, and Laki."

"They killed Juvia," Kinana whispered.

"Okay," Erik said, standing up, "We do understand. We just thought we'd ask. Fairy Tail has not be known to turn down any mission in the past. Your ethics and morals are second to none when it comes to protecting those who have nowhere else to go for help."

Jellal passed a business card to Virgo, "Here's how to get ahold of us if you change your mind."

The two men left the room, escorted by Gajeel who pretty much slammed the door behind them.

"Unbelievable," Cana huffed.

"They're right, you know," Mest said quietly, "We've never turned down a mission before."

"Well, I don't feel bad about turning down this one!" Lisanna said angrily, "They would have _killed_ us, Mest! And they wouldn't have lost any sleep over it either!"

"I can't argue with that," Mest agreed, "And I'm not saying we should take the mission, but we haven't ever turned one down."

Aries laid a gentle hand on Loke's thigh, "Fairy Tail has been integral to a lot of people," she said in a low voice, "Myself included. It's okay to not accept _every_ mission. The good you do can't be disputed. I'm sorry!"

The others nodded, remembering when Aries had come to them. Since then, she and Loke had found a closeness that she'd never found with another person. She'd fit in with the entire crew, becoming an integral part of their team. Loke and Aries had moved in together a few years back and were contemplating marriage.

The table fell silent for a few minutes as each person got lost in their own thoughts.

"We've handled worse cases," Mest said, "Remember that witness protection case we had last year? He was not a good man either, but we did our job and because of that, some even worse men were removed from the streets permanently."

"It's not the same," Lisanna argued, "He was a bad man, but he wasn't a murderer, stalker, or sadist like Dan and Jackal are. They tortured us and they didn't care who got killed along with us. Those bastards don't deserve our forgiveness."

"They don't," Loke growled, "And that's what will always make us better people than them. We have _morals_ …and when we get kicked to the ground, we get back up. Look around us – Fairy Tail is an amazing accomplishment. We have a lot to be proud of. We have a client list as long as this table of people we've helped. If we _did_ take this mission, it would be to show them they didn't hold us back...in fact, they made us who we are today."

The others nodded, thinking over the various missions they'd had throughout the years. It was true. Fairy Tail never stayed down, no matter how difficult their missions were. Juvia would be very proud of what they'd accomplished.

"We're going to accept, aren't we?" Virgo sighed heavily.

One by one, they all nodded. None of them were happy about it, but it seemed like the right thing to do.

"Of course, we have to run it by Lucy," Kinana said heavily, "If she's not okay with it, the whole idea is out the window."

The others nodded again.

"Damn our moral compasses!" Cana murmured.

* * *

Mira and Wendy were watching Lark and Natsu. Wendy had a little tear in her eye. Neither Lark nor Natsu had said anything. Natsu still held his boy firmly. Lark lay completely still, eyes wide open as Natsu held him.

Mira glanced at the young Angel beside her, noting the look on her face.

"Erik is leaving you with the Dragneels while Jellal goes with him, isn't he?" she asked.

Wendy nodded. The room door opened and Lucy returned with a nurse, who went straight to checking Lark's vitals. Natsu backed out of the way.

The edges of Mira's mouth twerked a bit, noting how Wendy hadn't taken her eyes off of Lark at all. She was not oblivious to the loneliness the teenage Angel felt. Mira was also a jack of all abilities. She was an Angel of Death. She was a mission organizer. She was Markarov's right hand Angel. But she was also completely attuned to emotions, felt by both human and Angels alike. It occurred to her that Wendy and Lark were very much the same in that way...they were both surrounded by people/Angels, but felt completely alone.

"Maybe it would be a good idea to put an Angel on Lark-detail full-time until we know how this situation is going to play out," she suggested, "It looks like he's still very mixed up."

The nurse was asking Lark a barrage of questions: How was he feeling? Did he have pain? How many fingers was she holding up?

"That's a good idea," Wendy agreed, "I…would volunteer…since the rest of the Angels have their usual assignments…"

Wendy felt her cheeks heat up again and wondered if Mira could hear her blood racing. If she did, she gave no indication.

Mira nodded, "We'll run it by the other Angels tomorrow. There will be an Angels' meeting to discuss how to handle things from here."

Wendy nodded, still watching Lark as he answered the nurse's questions.

* * *

"Damn him!" Erza seethed.

Juvia had just convinced Erza to leave the meeting that Jellal and Erik had just finished with the Fairy Tail crew. Her eyes were so red, Juvia could feel the anger pulsating even across the 3 foot distance between them.

"I'm not happy about this either," Juvia told her, "It's like my employees' nightmare is coming back to haunt them."

Erza didn't respond, her anger growing by the minute. She smashed a nearby flower pot, making bystanders jump as it randomly smashed into the pavement.

Juvia cocked her head, trying to understand Erza's reaction. She had hated Dan and Samuel as much as the rest of them had...but this was deeper than that. Something else was bothering her.

"We need to check on the Dragneel kids," Erza said finally, letting out a deep, cleansing breath to signify that she was done with her temper tantrum.

"Okay," Juvia agreed, "Let's go."

* * *

"Don't go too far," Levy warned Connor.

He was in the back yard, just enjoying the fresh air. The past 24 hours had been really stressful and he really felt the need to kick a ball around for awhile.

"I won't!' Connor promised.

"I'll see if anyone else wants to come out too," Levy suggested as she ducked back into the house to attend to the other children.

Connor nodded, but he wasn't worried about having company. He was happy to just be outside, kicking his soccer ball into the net over and over instead of worrying about his brother and his parents.

Connor lined his kick up again, running to smack the soccer ball into the net when a squirrel ran up a tree beside him, sending his kick wayward. The ball bounced into the forest.

Gray followed Connor, smiling at the innocence of the little boy as he skipped to the edge of the forest to find his ball.

Connor sighed, heading deeper into the woods to search for his ball. Knowing it couldn't have gone far, he frowned when he had to enter the forest more than a few feet. It hadn't been a hard kick. Something ticked at the back of his brain…he could _hear_ something.

Connor's brow furrowed as he followed the noise. It was coming from a bush. He stooped, carefully pulling back the branches. Inside was a half-grown kitten, caked in mud.

"Hello," he said softly, reaching for it.

Gray's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the pathetic-looking animal. He wondered what on Earthland could have happened to her to make her tolerate being in that state. She would _never_ be seen in that state willingly.

The kitten growled, then swiped at him as he reached for it. It winced and upon closer inspection, Connor realized it had a small cut on its' leg.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Connor promised, reaching again.

This time the kitten let him pick it up. It was filthy.

"Are you lost?" Connor asked, cuddling the kitten into his chest.

"MEOWRRR!" the kitten hissed.

"You're hurt," Connor told her, "I'm going to take you inside...so stop being so nasty!"

The kitten seemed to accept this once Gray sent through a wave of comfort to her, and she settled into Connor's chest.

It took the Dragneel children all of 2.4 seconds to realize that Connor was carrying a kitten. Instantly, they all gathered around, inspecting the poor thing for other injuries, all of them happy to have the distraction from their current problems.

"Where did she come from?" Hansuke asked.

"I found her in a bush," Connor told them, "She's hurt!"

"Okay!" Levy called out, "Back away, everyone. Let me take a look."

Obediently, Aki, Aimi, and Haru backed up so that Levy could see. Aki wondered momentarily if she saw a flash of recognizance on Levy's face, but dismissed it when Levy cautiously took the kitten from Connor's arms.

Gray smiled at the children. Over the years, he'd grown to really love this family. He wished that he could interact with them directly, never having had kids of his own. He knew Juvia felt the same, even though her primary assignment was to look after her old employees. Sometimes he wished that he and Juvia could live as an Earthland couple and adopt like Gajeel and Levy had done. Wish all they might, Gray and Juvia were not Guardians. And they couldn't settle in Magnolia even if they were Guardians. Too many people would recognize them. Neither would they qualify for a Doover. So both had settled with the knowledge that at least they were able to be together.

He caught Mira's eye across the room, winking as she sent out another wave of comfort to the distraught kitten.

"Hello, little one," Levy said softly, "Mieske, can you get me a wet cloth, please?"

Mieske scampered away, looking for a fresh, clean cloth.

Levy sighed, "Nevermind, Mieske – we need to give this poor little thing a bath! She's so caked in mud, we won't be able to see what's going on no matter how many cloths we use."

Mieske returned with a basin, filling it with warm water.

The kitten saw the basin with water and started protested loudly when Levy moved toward it. She swiped at Levy as she lowered the kitten into it.

"Aki, Aimi and Haru – this is going to be a harder job than I thought!" Levy told him, "Aimi and Haru, help me wash the kitten! Aki, please go get a towel!"

The kitten hissed again, her green eyes wild with protest. She scratched Levy again, jumping out of her arms. And so the chase began.

* * *

Lucy came back into the room after taking a phone call, her face ashen. Immediately, Natsu went to her side, but after a moment of low whispering, she shook her head and approached Lark's bedside. Lark was curious about what that could possibly have been about, but didn't ask questions. He was still on thin ice.

"The nurse said they're keeping you here again tonight to be sure your concussion is gone," she told him gently, "then perhaps tomorrow if the doctor is happy, they'll let you out in the morning."

Lark paused, glancing up at her. The turmoil he felt exuded through his eyes.

"Home, Lark," Lucy clarified, "You'll come home tomorrow. Where you belong."

Lark still didn't answer, his eyes wide with anxiety as he glanced over to Natsu.

"You know we're going to have to discuss what happened," Natsu said slowly, almost afraid to bring it up, "We can't keep going like this, Lark. We don't want to fight with you. We need to sort out whatever is bothering you and find a way to get past it."

"I know," Lark agreed.

"If you can't talk to us," Lucy continued, "then Cana would always listen to you. Everything you tell her will be confidential…but I hope you'll talk to us instead. We love you. We want to help you."

Lark nodded again. He felt a wave of peace pass through him, easing his anxiety.

"Don't worry about it now. In the meantime, do you feel up to visitors?" Natsu asked, making a much-needed change of subject, "Your siblings will see you tomorrow. It's a little much to bring 7 kids to the hospital... but your friends are anxious to see that you're okay."

Lark felt a smile spread across his face. Every sign of the anger Natsu had directed toward him yesterday was gone. Maybe it would be okay.

"Yeah. I think I'd like that."

"Maybe while they're here, we'll go home for showers," Lucy suggested, "Are you okay with that?"

Lark nodded again, "Yeah. I'll be fine tonight. Go get some rest."

"They'll be here shortly. We'll come back later to make sure you're okay," Natsu told him.

Natsu squeezed his good shoulder as they both got up. The two men held each other's gazes for a moment before Natsu finally took his wife's hand and headed for the door. Both Natsu and Lucy turned, giving him a last smile, then slipped out of the room.

"What was the phone call about?" Natsu asked as soon as they were out of hearing range. A few minutes ago, he'd known something was wrong, but she'd promised to tell him later. Their first priority was making sure Lark was comfortable.

"Fairy Tail has a new mission request," Lucy answered, "but they won't take it until I've had a chance to talk to them."

Natsu's brow furrowed, "What mission could possibly be so important that they'd interrupt you during a family emergency? Wouldn't they just take it?"

Lucy shook her head, "This one affects me and Levy personally. Actually, it affects all of us at Fairy Tail."

Natsu glanced at her, waiting for the explanation.

"They want us to protect Dan and Jackal."

"Hell no!" Natsu half-yelled, "Why are they even entertaining the thought?"

"Because it's what Fairy Tail does," Lucy replied, "We help people who are beyond help."

"But _why?"_ Natsu protested, "Why Fairy Tail - they're in maximum security prisons!"

"Because apparently 3 of the crew that came after Levy and I that night have already been attacked," Lucy told him, "Jackal and Dan are the only ones left. If they aren't at the prison to be attacked, the hope is they'll be saved."

"I don't give a shit," Natsu spat.

Lucy shook her head, "I don't want them in Magnolia anymore than you do, Natsu. But I'm not making the decision. Fairy Tail...is going to do what Fairy Tail does best."

"So you're in favour of this?" Natsu demanded.

Lucy shook her head, "I'm not. But I don't have to be. I'll take a leave of absence as long as Dan and Jackal are there. I'll recommend Gajeel as the primary guard since he was there, but not as emotionally affected. Loke and Mest will be okay as well...Cana, Lisanna, Virgo, and Laki will have to decide if they're okay to keep working or not. I already know I won't be, so I'll stay home with Lark. He will need recovery time anyway."

Natsu scowled his disapproval. He didn't want Dan anywhere in the city, let alone at his wife's place of work. He hadn't met Lucy until after her ordeal, but he'd helped her get through the aftermath every year after that. The anniversary of Juvia's death was always hard on her. Every year, all of Fairy Tail took the day off to have a banquet in her memory. At night, she would cry. Lucy never really stopped feeling guilty for what happened to Juvia. It killed Natsu to see her hurting and not be able to take the pain from her.

"Natsu..." Lucy stopped walking, taking her husband's hands in hers, "I won't go near Fairy Tail while Dan is there. I promise."

He pulled her into a hug, "I'm just worried. I hate the man and I've never even met him."

"I know," she said into his hair, "But it was a long time ago. I have no intention of coming face-to-face with him. I'll avoid Fairy Tail as long as it takes."

"I don't like it," Natsu repeated, working to calm himself.

"I have to check in long enough to give them the go-ahead," Lucy told him.

She was still locked in his tight embrace.

"Okay," he said finally, "I'll go check on the kids."

They shared a kiss, long and lingering, before they broke apart.

"I love you, Luce," Natsu told her.

"I love you too," she smiled.

* * *

Natsu could hear the ruckus coming from the house long before he opened the door. He approached quietly, wondering why the kids would all be screaming like that.

Entering the house slowly, his eyes widened as a white blur whipped across his field of vision, followed by Mieske and Hansuke. Both had oven mitts on while Connor chased behind them with a laundry basket. The laundry that was formerly folded neatly inside the basket was strewn all over the kitchen and living room. He had a deja vu moment, remembering a similar scene with a certain squirrel many years ago.

"What the..." Natsu started as Aki darted past him. She was sopping wet, leaving a trail of water behind her as she dashed in the opposite direction of the boys. Aimi crossed her path, a towel in her hands as she glanced around the room wildly.

"Hi Natsu," Levy squeaked out meekly. She was also sopping wet as she continued to run. Haru appeared with one of Natsu's fishing nets, stalking down the hall behind the other 3 boys. He was just as wet as Aki and Levy.

Natsu's mouth was open in shock. The white blur zoomed past his vision again, disappearing into the living room. Natsu could hear thumping footsteps thunder down the hall after it, disbursing in different directions.

"I've got her!" Mieske called out triumphantly.

"Got her?" Natsu asked blankly, "Got who?"

The other children appeared from every which corner, racing to where Mieske had a laundry basket effectively trapping the white blur.

Natsu was thoroughly confused.

"Daddy!" Brielle exclaimed, finally noticing his presence. She abandoned her post around the white basket, throwing herself in his arms.

He revelled in her hug for a moment, lifting her onto his hip, before curiously approaching the living room. The kids were all gathered around the white blur, who was trapped under the laundry basket. Hansuke had hurried off, re-entering the room with a large tub full of water.

"7th time is the charm!" Connor yelled, "Battle stations, everyone!"

"We're almost done, kitty...just let us wash the soap off of you," Hansuke urged.

"What kitty?" Natsu asked nervously.

"You'll see," Brielle told him, a big grin on her face.

An ominous hissing noise permeated the air as Aki lifted the laundry basket and 3 kids attacked the white blur all at once, pushing her into the water and scrubbing her as fast as they could.

"She's getting ready to attack again!" Levy warned.

"Mieske! Towel patrol!" Hansuke yelled.

"On it!" Mieske yelled, as he, Brielle and Connor surrounded the kids washing the frightened kitten and formed a barrier with towels.

The kitten shrieked again, swiping wildly. Natsu's eyes were wide. Beside him, Levy smiled apologetically. There would need to be a house clean up after this.

"That IS a cat, right?" He asked Levy, "Because it sounds more like a mountain lion and I'm starting to get really concerned."

"Dad!" Aki greeted, "It's good to see you!"

"Success!" Aimi announced, "Kitty has been de-soaped! Stand by for toweling procedures!"

She, Aki, and Hansuke backed up, the kids with the towels ready to pounce. They grabbed the white blur, rubbing her down with their towels. She screeched, hissed, and clawed wildly into the air before they finally let her go.

The white blur disappeared down the hall, still spitting and hissing her disgust.

Natsu glanced from kid to kid, then at the absolute devastation to the house. The kids were soaked. The house was soaked. Wet footprints were everywhere.

"Anyone want to explain this to me?" Natsu asked after a long moment.

"Connor found a kitten," Levy said apologetically, "But she was so dirty, we couldn't see her wound. So...we decided to give her a bath."

"Turns out she's not black," Brielle informed him, "She's a white kitty, Daddy - and can we keep her?"

"All that was over a bath?" Natsu started to laugh, again surveying the damage to the house.

"Sorry, Dad," Aimi said softly, "We'll clean it up before Mom sees it."

Natsu continued to laugh, surveying the sorry state of the kids and the house. He desperately needed a good laugh. Pretty soon, Levy joined in, then the other kids one by one when they realized they weren't going to be in supreme trouble.

"I'll help you clean up," Natsu promised, "And then I'll tell you what's going on with Lark. But first...let's get a picture to add to the Christmas tree this year...then we'll take a look at that kitten."

* * *

Lucy arrived at Fairy Tail, her colleagues gathering around her to give her hugs of support.

Juvia loved that about the people that used to be her employees. They were still the kind, caring individuals they'd always been and were now family more than friends. She wished with all her heart that she could be part of that group hug...just for a moment.

"How's Lark?" Virgo asked.

"He'll be okay physically," Lucy sighed, "but we have a long way to go before everything else will be okay."

"We're all here for you no matter what you need," Loke told her.

She nodded, "Thanks. Cana, I might need you to talk to him."

"Of course," Cana promised, "In fact, I'll come see him when he comes home...just because I want to see him for myself."

"So...about Dan and Jackal," Lucy stated, getting right to the point. She wanted to get home to her family. She hadn't seen her other children in almost 2 days, considering it had been really early in the morning when all the drama started yesterday, "I won't stop you from taking the mission because I understand your points...but I think it would be a good idea for me to take a leave of absence during the time period that Dan and Jackal are here."

The other Fairy Tail members nodded.

"I like that idea," Lisanna said quietly, "I don't want to be here either."

"Or me," Virgo stated, "And I'm pretty Laki would say the same thing."

Kinana nodded, "That leaves Gajeel, Mest and Loke as the primary guardians. And myself, although I'm not sure what I can do to help."

"Fair enough," Lucy agreed, smiling at the brawny protectors, "Provided that you're all willing."

Loke and Mest nodded solemnly, obviously not that happy about the new development either.

Gajeel growled. He would worry about Levy every day those two men were in Magnolia, regardless of the fact that she was an Angel. He wasn't happy with Jellal putting Fairy Tail on the spot like that either and he had every intention of calling him out on that the first chance he got. In the meantime, the closer eye Gajeel kept on them, the less likely they'd be able to hurt Levy - and/or Lucy and the other girls.

"Then we're accepting the mission?" Mest asked.

"I guess so," Loke sighed, "But let's put a time limit on it. And I think we three," he gestured to himself, Mest, and Gajeel, "should be directly involved with the guarding.I don't want to be around them any longer than we have to be. We'll give them 2 weeks to figure out what's going on with the murders inside the prison...then they're on their own."

Juvia glanced over at Gajeel at the table, but he wasn't watching her. He was watching another corner of the room.

She followed his line of sight, recognizing Jellal as he stood concealed, watching the table discussion.

Jellal _transported_. Juvia took a deep breath, making eye contact with the man who served as her older brother. He nodded to her, then glanced away, the anger in his eyes still seething.

* * *

The house now somewhat back into order, Natsu, Levy, and the Dragneel children huddled around the table. The kitten was still very agitated and not at all impressed with the sheer _quantity_ of human faces trapping her inside the circle of the table.

Levy and Gray both sent comfort waves to her, although Levy had to be much less obvious about it.

"We're gonna keep her, right Daddy?" Brielle asked, a bright smile illuminating the entire room.

"I don't know," Natsu hummed, "So far she hasn't been that friendly."

"She's just scared," Connor defended her, "But now that her paw isn't dirty and her wound will heal, I bet she'll be the nicest kitty ever!"

"But we don't know if she belongs to someone," Aki protested, "We can't just _keep_ her."

"PLEASE DADDY?" Brielle begged, "Look! She already loves us!"

The wet furball on the table had visibly sagging brows, showing off her disgruntled attitude...but she wasn't swiping anymore as the kids took turns petting her gently.

Natsu sighed, "Let's see what your mom says."

The kids cheered, making the kitten's ears flatten against her head.

"We'll need a name!" Hansuke announced, "Maybe Cloud."

"You only want Cloud because of your video games!" Mieske told him pointedly, "And b'sides - it's a dumb name!"

"Is not!" Hansuke huffed.

"I vote for Strawberry!" Brielle yelled, putting her hand up.

" _You're_ a strawberry!" Haru told her, playfully ruffling her hair. Brielle pouted, but perked up right away as she re-engaged in the conversation.

"She's white - we could call her Albino!" Aki suggested.

"That's too much like _rhino!"_ Connor argued, "She needs something prettier."

"I like Cotton," Aimi said shyly.

Nobody even heard her suggestion.

"What about Bond?" Mieske put in, using his huskiest voice, "JAMES Bond!"

"For a cat?" Haru protested, "And a _girl_ cat? Naw. She needs something like Cremepuff - now _there's_ a name for white cat!"

"Yeah!" Aimi retorted, "If you're planning to eat her!"

"If you get to pick a boy name, so do I!" Connor pointed his finger at Mieske, "And I think it should be Lando!"

Natsu snickered.

Levy and Gray exchanged glances. None of these names would make her happy.

"How about Carla?" Levy suggested lightly, "It's simple and feminine. She should like that name for sure."

The kids stopped arguing with each other, glancing around the table. There was a long silence before they all burst out laughing at once.

"What kind of a name is _Carla_ for a cat?" Mieske laughed, "Honestly, Auntie Levy...you're hilarious!"

Natsu and Levy shrugged at each other, perking their ears for Round 2 of the kitten naming contest.

* * *

It was a light knock at the door. Lark might not have heard it, being that he was dozing lightly, except that the door creaked as it opened. Daisuke peered around the corner cautiously.

"Hey," he said lightly.

"Hey," Lark smiled.

Daisuke pushed the door open, entering the room.

"Shit, man...you look nasty," Daisuke commented.

Lark laughed lightly, "Yeah, well...you should see the other guy."

He glanced behind Daisuke, seeing Laki at the door. She waved, then backed into the hallway to give them some privacy.

"Sora didn't come?" Lark asked.

Daisuke paused, glancing toward the hall, "She's here...she's nervous about coming in to see you."

Lark frowned, "Why?"

"You scared her, Lark," Daisuke stated, "She's been a mess for the past 24 hours. Levy told my mother that she wouldn't come out of her room last night."

Lark nodded, feeling another searing pang of regret course through him. He'd worried a lot of people. He'd made a mess of everything.

Daisuke pointed to Lark's arm, "Does it hurt?"

Lark nodded, "Yeah. But it's not as bad as it could have been."

"You're not kidding," Daisuke agreed, "Nobody knows how you escaped that, Lark. You could've been killed."

"Are you lecturing me?" Lark joked - or tried to. His voice cracked.

"Yeah, man. I am," Daisuke said, his eyes brimming slightly, "You scared us. Don't do that again. Ever."

Lark nodded, "I won't. I'm sorry."

Both boys went silent for a moment, but Lark distinctly felt the comfort wave pass through the room. There was an Angel nearby, trying to smooth things over between the two boys. He wondered if it was Wendy.

"Yesterday spiraled out of control faster than I could keep up," Lark confided, his voice choking slightly, "I wish I could erase the entire day, Dai. I was scared...and when I get scared...I do stupid shit to avoid dealing with it. It's my fault. I never should have gone to get Sora and we shouldn't have fallen asleep against the tree...everything just fell apart so fast..."

Daisuke didn't respond, giving Lark a chance to tell him what happened on his own.

"It's my fault," Lark concluded, "I'm so messed up...and because of me, Sora and Lucy both got hurt."

"Things like this have been happening for months, Lark. It's not the first stupid thing you've done...just the most dangerous."

Daisuke paused, looking at his friend, then looking away.

"What?" Lark asked.

Daisuke paused again, not sure if he wanted to ask his question.

"The nightmare," Daisuke said slowly, "It wasn't a one-time thing, was it? There's a connection to why you're acting so weird."

Lark stared at his friend for a minute, trying to decide how to handle the question. It was a perceptive observation...one that made his realize Daisuke was an amazing friend. He felt another wave of peace pass through the room.

"It wasn't a one-time thing," Lark admitted, "I've been having nightmares all my life...but they're getting worse."

Daisuke nodded, "Then consider me in line for questioning when you get out of here."

Lark sighed, "Yeah, okay. I owe you that."

"I'm going to get Sora," Daisuke told him, "Mom doesn't want us staying too long. You're still very tired and you need your beauty rest," he shot Lark a playful grin, " _BOY,_ _do you need your beauty rest_! After all, you want to look your best when the doctor comes to see you tomorrow."

Lark snickered.

He paused partway back to the door.

"Lark...she's a mess," Daisuke warned, his eyes full of the worry that he'd been carrying all day, "Be careful with her."

Lark nodded, taking the moment that Daisuke was occupied to glance around the room for the unseen Angel. He wasn't surprised when he couldn't pinpoint anyone, but prayed someone was nearby. A part of him was as worried about seeing Sora as she apparently was of seeing him.

The door creaked again. Daisuke appeared, pulling Sora gently by the hand as he encouraged her to come in. Lark raised an eyebrow at their joined hands.

"H-hi," Sora stuttered.

"Hey," Lark replied.

Sora glanced around the room nervously.

"So...how long have you two been going out?" Lark asked slowly, gesturing toward their still joined hands.

Sora's eyes widened as she withdrew her hand, turning bright red. Both Daisuke and Lark burst out laughing. Sora looked like she would burst into tears for a moment before finally curving her mouth into a small smile.

"There it is," Lark said softly, reaching for her other hand, "You should always smile, Sora. Nothing is ever so bad that you should lose your smile. I'm sorry I scared you."

"My dad's going to kill you," she said, her voice cracking.

Both Daisuke and Lark laughed harder at her attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

"Yeah, I know!" Lark stated, trying to tone down his laughter a bit. His ribs hurt with the movement, "There's a line for that too. One for the lectures, the other for killing me. He'll have to get in line behind Natsu and Daisuke."

"And you haven't faced Aki yet," Daisuke reminded him.

Sora tried to laugh, but it came out strangled. Her face contorted into a mixture of expressions as she fought to get a hold of herself. Another wave of comfort passed through the room.

"Sora," Lark warned, "That's not a smile!"

She couldn't contain her tears anymore. She let go of Lark's hand, burying herself in Daisuke's chest. Lark and Daisuke both stopped laughing, Daisuke's arms wrapping around her. Lark watched them, completely unsure of how to handle Sora's reactions. He'd never seen her this way before. It briefly crossed his mind that she'd turned to Daisuke for support and not him...but then, why would she turn to Lark for support? He was the cause of this whole mess.

It was a long few minutes before Sora finally pulled away from Daisuke, wiping her tears on her sleeve.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

Lark extended his good hand, "Come here."

She glanced at him hesitantly before finally sitting on the edge of his bed and allowed him to pull her to his side, resting her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry," Lark repeated into her hair, "I'm so sorry, Sora. It's all my fault."

She nodded into his chest before withdrawing, wiping her tears. He squeezed her hand, but she wouldn't look at him, instead tucking herself back into Daisuke's arm.

Daisuke and Lark both frowned. They exchanged glances.

"They made us promise not to stay long," Daisuke told Lark, taking Sora's hand again. The look in his eyes told Lark he just needed to get Sora out of there.

Lark nodded his understanding, "Thank you for coming. I hope you'll come by the house tomorrow."

Daisuke nodded back, "Definitely. Have a good sleep."

Sora tried to smile as Daisuke pulled her to the door, but it was very meek. She just didn't have it in her.

Lark stared at the door for a good few minutes after they left, trying to absorb the myriad of emotions coursing through him. If he hadn't felt remorse before, he did now. Sora had been shattered. The tears started etching out of his eyes whether he wanted to or not.

"Wendy!" he called out, "Can you help Sora, Wendy? Please?"

He waited, tears streaming down his face. No Angel appeared to him, but he did feel the wave of comfort pass through the room. There was a part of him that didn't expect she would show any signs of acknowledging his request, but now he had hope.

"Thank you, Wendy," he whispered.

He sniffed back his tears again, resolving to keep his promise to Wendy that he would try to figure things out with Natsu and Lucy. Too many people were hurting because of him...and not all of it was physical.

* * *

In the darkness of the unseen shadows of the room, Wendy felt a tear roll down her face too. Lark was beginning to understand the ramifications of his bad decisions. They'd been building up for months now. She was just sorry everything had to come to a head at once.

She couldn't appear to him, but she _would_ go visit Sora later tonight. It broke her heart to see the young girl so distraught.

Lark sniffed, finally calling out for Plue, who settled onto Lark's bed immediately. She felt the pull again to go to him. But Wendy had crossed some serious lines with Lark already and she still wondered about her own repercussions if anyone figured out that she'd allowed him to see her.

But then, she'd erased his memories...

Wendy's eyes widened as she realized Lark had called her name just then...not just called out to the Angels, _but specifically her_. There was no way for him to know her name...

. _..unless he remembered._

* * *

 ** _YAY Kitten naming contest! Any guesses on what the kids will end up calling her? Should be interesting._**

 ** _Lots of things will start happening now. Dan is on his way to Magnolia and Lark is going to go home soon. Not to mention, how will Happy handle the new kitten moving in on his territory?_**

 ** _Seeya next week!_**

 ** _~Shana~_**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Okay...I know I'm early again. (Sigh) This is the Easter Long Weekend in Canada, so I have Friday and Monday to add to my weekend and I thought I might spend it outside...if it ever stops raining...so I'm posting today.**_

 _ **Extra large chapter today - might give you a bit to think about until next week!**_

* * *

"Happy Anniversary, Baby," Natsu whispered, pulling his wife close to him.

She sighed, happily allowing herself to be enclosed in his arms. Last night had been a night of close contact with the other children. They had really needed some mom and dad time, regardless of how much they loved their Auntie Levy. They played charades for a good hour, made skewers of meat, potatoes, and vegetables, then did a chocolate fondue. Everyone tried not to comment about the Lark situation since they all needed a reprieve of sorts. The last two days had been seriously stressful.

Lucy wasn't sure what to make of the kitten situation either. The kitten hissed at her every time she tried to get a good look at her. Brielle and Connor were adamant that the kitten loved them already and would adapt well to the large family lifestyle. In any event, neither Natsu and Lucy had officially agreed to let her stay yet…but they both suspected it was only a matter of time. The longer she stayed, the harder it would be to try to find her another home.

"What anniversary is it today?" Lucy asked, kissing his arm.

"Four years ago today," Natsu responded, "We went to the DreamWorks Park. It was the first family vacation went on with the entire family."

"I remember that!" Aki said from Lucy's left side, "Brielle was only about 3, so she might not."

"Do too!" Brielle protested from Natsu's right side, "Mom and Dad put me on a LEASH!"

"To keep you from running away, Dorkus," Haru told her from his bedroll on the floor, "You were always running and that place was busy!"

Brielle pouted.

"We had to wait at the top of the roller coaster when it broke down," Haru remembered, "It was about half an hour and us younger kids were starting to freak out a bit."

"Lark kept us calm," Aki stated, "He kept us laughing with dumb jokes. Typical Lark. Making a joke out of something that would normally freak us all out."

"But he really came through for us," Aimi added, "Even though we were scared, he made it okay. That's Lark for you. He's goofy and sometimes he doesn't think…but he does care."

The room went dead quiet.

"Momma…is Lark coming home soon?" Brielle asked, climbing overtop of Natsu to get to her mother.

"We hope so," Lucy answered, squeezing her baby close to her.

"He was really messed up," Hansuke said from the floor, "I've never seen so many cuts and bruises."

"He'll be fine," Natsu assured them all.

"But in the meantime," Connor piped up, sitting up in his sleeping bag, "We get to have his video game time, right?"

Giggles broke out throughout the room as the older boys chucked their pillows at Connor, thus starting a family-wide pillow fight.

* * *

"Good morning, Lark," Dr. Porlyusica smiled as she entered the room.

Lark had finally fallen asleep for a couple hours after being awake for most of the night. He'd had another nightmare. He couldn't remember the contents of it, but it shook him to his core and he was thankful that Plue had stayed with him. It was one of those rare moments he knew there weren't Angels somewhere nearby. He said a prayer under his breath, hoping it was because the Angels had gone to comfort Sora.

He yawned, trying to sit up in the bed, but winced when his shoulder reminded him it was still tender.

"Pretty sore today, are you?" Dr. Porlyusica asked, sitting down on the stool beside him, "Serves you right – that was idiotic, what you did."

Lark nodded. He'd seen this doctor before. Her bedside manner was…something to be desired.

"How's your concussion?"

Lark blinked, noting the light didn't hurt his eyes today, "I think its better. The headache isn't there."

Dr. Porlyusica nodded, "I'll need to take a look."

Lark tried to relax as the doctor undid the bandage on his forehead none-too-gently.

"Interesting," the doctor said under her breath, "It looks really good. No signs of infection."

"So why is that interesting?" Lark asked after a moment. It hurt. He was working not to wince as she prodded at him, seemingly poking him right in the wound.

"Because it's actually a lot more healed than I anticipated. This was a nasty gash. I was half expecting stitches wouldn't do the job and the skin around the wound would die. I was pretty sure we might have to consider grafting," Dr. Porlyusica told him.

Lark hummed to that, silently thanking Wendy.

The doctor re-bandaged Lark's forehead in silence.

"I'm not going to touch the shoulder today," she told Lark, "It's best to give it more time."

"So, am I going home today?" Lark asked.

Dr. Porlyusica sat back, studying Lark's face. Where his face wasn't scraped or bruised, she still thought she saw dark circles under Lark's eyes.

"Are you sleeping well?" she asked.

Lark paused, then slowly shook his head.

"I didn't think so. Is it because you're worried about what happened? Or what _will_ happen?"

Lark didn't answer again, staring down at his hands.

Dr. Porlyusica took a deep breath, "Lark...what you did...I don't have to tell you how stupid it was, do I? And I know it wasn't the first time we've seen you in recent months because of various incidents. Are you talking to anyone about what's going on with you?"

Lark shook his head.

"Do you want to go home?" Dr. Porlyusica asked.

Lark was quiet for a long moment, "I still have a lot of guilt."

Dr. Porlyusica frowned. That wasn't the question. She stayed quiet, waiting to see if Lark would embellish.

"I hit Lucy," Lark said in a low voice, "And I don't know if Natsu will ever forgive me. On top of that, Sora…she's a mess both physically and mentally because of me. I don't know if I can forgive myself. I don't do it to make Natsu and Lucy mad. I pull stupid stunts - like the dam - because I can't handle stress."

"Explain to me why?" Dr. Porlyusica asked flatly, "Why do you do it?"

Lark shuddered at her tone of voice. She was incredibly intimidating.

"Because..." Lark took a deep, shaky breath, thinking of the horrific nightmares that plagued him…his constant sightings of Angels, "… I don't know how to make it stop."

"Make what stop?" Dr. Porlyusica frowned.

Anxiety lined Lark's face as he contemplated how to tell her his plight. She tapped her foot, waiting patiently. Lark glanced into the shadow, praying there was an Angel nearby.

"I will listen if you want to talk," Dr. Porlyusica told him, "But if you don't want it to be me, then you'd better find someone you do trust. Think about it, please."

Lark nodded, leaning back into his pillow. He heaved a sigh of relief that the conversation was over for now.

* * *

Sora walked up the sidewalk toward the front doors of the school, taking a deep breath when she realized she'd have to go past Toby and his cronies in order to get inside. She turned, going the other way. She'd go in the side entrance. She just couldn't face them today if she didn't have to.

She felt a lot better after seeing Lark last night. She'd been a bit of a mess when she went to bed, but found she felt much more hopeful when she opened her eyes this morning. Peaceful even. In fact, she made a small joke about Levy's burned eggs that made Gajeel crack a smile too. Maybe everything would be okay.

Daisuke had spent an obscene amount of time with her in the past 48 hours, doting on her every whim. She appreciated his concern. She needed him and he'd really come through for her.

Last night, she had reached a breaking point. Just before going to see Lark at the hospital, her parents had laid it on the line for her. They hated that she still refused to tell them what happened that night…and they maintained their initial punishment of grounding, although Levy conceded after talking to Lucy that the sentence would be reduced to 2 weeks instead of 2 months. Clearly, Sora was doing a good job of punishing herself and her parents just wanted her out of her funk. Both Gajeel and Levy were satisfied that she would never sneak out again.

It was all too much: first Brielle's accident…then learning that Lark sees Angels…staying out with Lark all night…kissing Lark, then getting rejected…getting in trouble for staying out all night…then Lark's accident. She'd spent the majority of the previous day being terrified of consequences and being afraid for Lark.

Gajeel had promised not to hurt Lark, but there was still Natsu to contend with. Sora's mind was mixed with all kinds of emotions. When Daisuke arrived last night with his mother to take her to see Lark, Sora wasn't actually sure she wanted to go.

"How are you doing today?" Daisuke asked, flanking one side of her. Aki flanked the other side, the Dragneel children having decided they would go to school today.

"Much better," Sora promised, "I…really needed that breakdown last night."

Aki squeezed her hand, "None of us have seen Lark yet. I imagine it was a bit of a shock."

Sora nodded, "Too much has happened over the past couple days. My brain is having trouble processing it. Lark was in bad shape…but he was still Lark. I think I needed to see him more than I realized."

"They're considering letting him out this morning," Aki reported, "So we all decided we'd go to school today so that it'll be quiet when he gets home."

"Be prepared for questions at school today," Sora warned, "Toby and his cronies have been hovering near the doorways hoping to start something. And the rumours will be out soon. Lark hasn't been at school for 3 days."

Daisuke growled, moving in between Aki and Sora, "Just stay close to me. Both of you."

"Thank you for being there for me, Daisuke," Sora said softly.

"Anytime," Daisuke promised, squeezing her hand.

* * *

"He needs some more sleep," Dr. Porlyusica told Natsu and Lucy outside the hospital room, "He seems to be healing well, but he's exhausted and he seems to have a bit of pain. He talked to me a little bit. I think it would be good to keep him for another day to see if I can get him to open up more."

Lucy's face fell with disappointment, "I was really hoping to take him home today."

"I know," the doctor said sarcastically, "but unfortunately, this is not All-About-Lucy-Week. This is about Lark. It _is_ the best decision at this point. With 7 siblings at home, your house can only be described as chaotic. He needs the rest. As you know, my primary job is psychiatry more than Emergency doctoring. He can go home when he can look at me in the eyes and tell me he wants to."

"I work for Fairy Tail," Lucy told her, trying to ignore the rude commentary, "And I think I can have one of my colleagues do therapy with him once he leaves."

Dr. Porlyusica nodded, glancing at Natsu, "He has anxiety about going home. He's worried. There's...nothing to be concerned about there, right?"

Natsu's eyes flew wide, "No! Of course not! Doc, we've been friends for years...you know me _and_ my wife. We have some serious discussions to have, but we'll work it out like we always do."

Dr. Porlyusica put her hand on Natsu's shoulder, "I _do_ know you, Natsu...and I know you and Lucy are amazing parents, even though you can be a real pain in the ass when you bring criminals in for treatment. It's my job to ask these questions...but off the record - strictly between you and me - it looks like Lark has some serious issues with feeling like he's going to be abandoned."

"We'd never abandon him!" Lucy denied emphatically.

" _I_ know that!" Dr. Porlyusica snapped, "But _he_ doesn't!"

"I'll reassure him," Lucy promised.

"No!" Dr. Porlyusica snapped again, making both Natsu and Lucy jump. She pointed a long, bony finger at Natsu, "It needs to come directly from _him."_

* * *

The Angels were arriving at Gajeel and Levy's house, filtering into the living room. Levy had left Aki in charge of getting the Dragneel kids to school. Fairy Tail Earthland was reporting for duty at work right about now, awaiting news on their hard-pressed decision that was made yesterday. Jellal and the other Angels in charge of Fairy Tail would be attending this Angels' meeting, then going to let them know Dan and Jackal would be arriving the next day. Sora had already gone to school, so that meant the house was empty of human friends...for now.

With the imminent arrival of Dan and Jackal and the probability of Lark going home the next day, everyone agreed it was essential to get on the same page.

The Crime Sorciere Angels and the Fairy Tail Angels were silent as they gathered. Everyone looked pretty tired.

Jellal and Erza sat on opposite sides of the room, Erza barely acknowledging his presence. Gray and Juvia sat together, fingers entwined, on the couch with Gajeel and Levy situated on the other end. Erik, Sorano, and Ezel took the other couch while Minerva took up the Lazy Boy. Mira had taken a chair from the kitchen, Happy curled up on her lap.

"So where do we start?" Juvia asked nervously.

The tension was palpable. Jellal suspected this was likely due to the events yesterday, yes, but he had been fully aware of the looks cast his way when he came in.

"You need a starting place?" Happy used his wings to take to the air from Mira's lap, "I'll give you a place to start! You all dropped the ball! All of you! And because you haven't been diligent in your duties, _two_ major incidents have happened in the course of only a few days! And that's only what I know about! Apparently, bad things have been happening since I left! Are you guys doing _anything_ to protect my family anymore?"

"Happy!" Mira exclaimed, reaching for him. He flew out of her grasp.

"No!" Happy cried out, "When I left here and returned to Heaven, things were fine! Now all of my kids are unhappy, Natsu is stressed, and Lucy is trying to make it all okay! It's _not okay!"_

The room was dead quiet as Happy finally allowed Mira to grab him and pull him to her chest.

"There's six of us!" Juvia pointed out, "Six of us to watch 8 members of Fairy Tail and 10 Dragneels plus Rogue and Sting's families. We _can't_ be everywhere at once. And at Akane, we followed the entire family back for the lunch. Lark and Brielle were supposed to be right there. And the other night, we couldn't have known Lark and Sora snuck out. We were all _here_ at an Angels' meeting."

"And," Gray added, "We try to divvy the duties on a regular basis to make sure everyone is covered. Jellal and I take turns with Lark and the Dragneel kids. Erza watches the Dragneel kids, but also watches Fairy Tail. Levy watches Lucy. Juvia watches the Fairy Tail crew with Gajeel. It's not like we're not trying to be thorough."

"Your comment is unfair and hurtful, Happy," Juvia said softly, "We really do do the best we can."

"It's not good enough," Happy muttered from Mira's shoulder.

"Happy's right. We definitely screwed up the other night," Gajeel admitted bluntly, "Here we were having an Angels' meeting and nobody even noticed Sora snuck out during it – _right under our noses._ "

"And everyone just assumed Lark was at home in bed where he belonged," Levy added.

"How's Lark doing?" Mira asked quietly, offering a much-needed change of topic.

"Better," Wendy answered, "I was able to heal the worst of his wounds. The rest – the lacerations and bruising – will take time. But he's okay."

"What about emotionally?" Juvia asked.

Wendy paused, not really sure of how to answer that.

"When I checked in on him this morning," Gray reported, "He was quiet and contemplative. I think maybe this time he'll really consider the repercussions of his actions."

"We need to step up around him specifically," Gajeel muttered, "That got out of control way too fast. This weekend too."

"We need to step up around all of our wards," Erza retorted, "Happy _is_ right. We've gotten too lax in our duties."

"On the other hand," Jellal offered, trying to ignore the darts Erza was throwing from her eyes, "We're Angels. We're not supposed to protect them from everything. We're supposed to guide them to make moral decisions and steer them from danger. But we cannot make them change their minds if they make a decision on their own. All we can do is guide them."

Erza shot him a look of utter contempt.

The room went quiet again, the obvious tension in the room thick and explosive.

"Lark seems to be the biggest issue hands down," Levy sighed.

"I was thinking the same thing," Mira agreed, "And I wonder if we appointed him one Angel if that would level out problems."

Wendy tried not to show her blushing face, choosing to examine a houseplant beside her.

"I'd like to suggest Wendy," Mira continued.

Wendy's blushing face couldn't be contained now. Everyone was looking at her.

"Wendy is roughly Lark's age, if you don't count that she's been dead for so many years," Mira stated, "So she will better understand his thinking. Maybe she can get through to him somehow if we post her as his Guardian for the time being."

The other Angels glanced around, trying to get a sense of what everyone else thought.

"I second the idea," Levy raised her hand, "It's a good fit. And if Lark has a full-time Angel, the rest of us can re-evaluate where our skills are required."

Gray nodded his approval, ruffling Wendy's bangs with his hand.

She smiled softly, "I accept."

"I'll help guard the Dragneel kids," Happy volunteered, "They need help dealing with their emotions right now and I know them best."

Nobody protested that idea.

"The Fairy Tail crew will be another matter that's coming up," Erza said, trying to keep the venom out of her voice, "since it seems all of them will be facing their own emotional turmoil soon enough."

"Jellal!" Gajeel scowled at him, turning everyone's attention to him, "Maybe you should elaborate on that."

Jellal nodded, clearly feeling the anger coming from both Erza and Gajeel. He suspected there could be more by the time he was done with his announcement. Erik stood beside him.

"There is something you all need to know," Jellal acknowledged.

"No shit," Gajeel muttered.

Jellal ignored Gajeel's remark, "I've been gone the last day with Crime Sorciere to help with another issue concerning Samuel, Dan, and their former crew."

Both Sorano and Ezel's attention focused on Jellal and Erik, their ears perked. Both had known something was up, but this was the first they'd hear of it.

"Kari was attacked first," Erik stated, "She was stabbed. But she didn't die. Even now, she's recovering in her prison's hospital. A few days later, Kyoka was murdered in her cell."

"What?" Sorano whispered.

Erza watched Jellal's face quietly, anxiety crossing her face. She had no idea why he'd left Magnolia. She hadn't been _privy_ to that secret. But Dan and Jackal...she hadn't seen that coming. She'd been blindsided at the meeting when Jellal showed up, posing as a human.

"Angels were dispatched to watch over Jackal, Samuel and Dan," Jellal continued, "Erik witnessed Samuel's murder first hand."

There was a shocked murmur passing through the small group. Jellal and Erik waited for the initial shock to stop before continuing.

"Samuel's...dead?" Ezel asked.

"There's more," Erik stated, "The murderer was not human. He _transported_ into Samuel's cell. I tried to stop him, but he walked around me like I was nothing. Samuel didn't stand a chance."

"Samuel's murderer…" Juvia clarified, her voice shaking slightly, "…was an Angel?"

"An Angel," Jellal confirmed, "or a demon."

Another collective gasp echoed through the room.

"Why would anyone want Kari, Samuel and Kyoka dead?" Gray demanded.

"That's what I said," Jellal told him, "We have a whole lot of questions and no good answers. Another Angel group was put in charge of looking out for Jackal until we figure out what to do."

"So you figured you'd bring them to Fairy Tail," Gajeel huffed out his anger.

Levy's face had visible anguish on it as she recalled the times she and Lucy had had to run from Dan and Samuel. Gajeel moved closer to her, wrapping his arm protectively over her shoulders.

"Fairy Tail will never agree to that!" she exclaimed.

"They already have," Erik told her, "And no…we didn't push or nudge them to do so. We know what we're asking of them. And we didn't do it lightly…but Gajeel has Fairy Tail reinforced stronger than Fort Knox. Fairy Tail agreed out of moral obligation. In fact, I'm pretty sure half of the crew is planning a leave of absence. If Jackal and Dan are removed from the prison system temporarily until we know what we're dealing with, there's a chance we can figure out who's after them…and more importantly, why."

"You would endanger our wards for those scoundrels!?" Erza yelled, specifically directing her accusation to Jellal directly.

"We don't know yet why the murders have happened," Jellal countered, "If we _don't_ protect Jackal and Dan, then our 'wards' could be in serious danger!"

The two had both risen from their seats, staring each other down.

"Then perhaps it should have been discussed with _us_!" Erza hissed, "instead of being a big, bad secret!"

"Erza," Gray put his hand on her arm. She shook it off, continuing to stare directly into Jellal's eyes.

"No!" Erza yelled, "Why are we not important enough to consult, Jellal?"

Mira sent out a peace vibe as Gray managed to get Erza back to a sitting position, Gajeel chuckling in the background at Jellal's discomfort.

"You aren't unimportant," Erik supplied, urging Jellal to back down too, "And we were not purposely keeping you out of the loop. Our orders were to find a way to guard Dan and Jackal. In order to get the Prison Board to agree to this proposal, we had to present it at the meeting yesterday. There just simply wasn't time to consult both the Angels and Fairy Tail. We made a judgement call to consult Fairy Tail...and we apologize if we hurt you by doing so. We did make sure Gajeel was in attendance - and thankfully Erza and Juvia were there too - so that at least you were represented. The rest of you were all dealing with Dragneel children and Natsu and Lucy."

Gajeel harrumphed loudly.

"In any event," Erik continued, "The Prison Board agreed to the proposal. There will be a full investigation while Dan and Jackal are here."

"We're hoping the other crew of Angels that are currently protecting Jackal is going to stay on," Jellal stated, finally taking his seat again, "Which means none of you will have to get involved with them again. You'll continue watching over our designated wards, and since most of the Fairy Tail crew has opted to take a leave of absence, you don't have to be anywhere near them. Crime Sorciere will take ownership of this task."

"I disagree," Gajeel grunted, "I want in on the guarding duty. I won't feel like my family is safe unless I'm watching those assholes myself."

The room went dead quiet. There didn't seem to be anything else to say. It was happening whether they approved or not.

Erza shook her head. Even years later, it seemed like yesterday. She glanced at Juvia, who had lost her life over it. Her eyes were dark. Gray was grasping onto her hand for support. Sorano, who had also lost her life over the ordeal, was shell-shocked.

"Okay, Gajeel. We'll accept your help. We can discuss whether Ezel and Sorano should be involved too," Jellal glanced at them, "It's very personal for you. It might be better if you're re-assigned to another matter."

"We're part of Crime Sorciere too!" Sorano protested, "I think we should be involved."

"We'll talk about this later," Erik interrupted when Ezel started to stand up too, "but we will need Angels to watch the Fairy Tail crew while they're off-duty. It might be better if you both volunteered for that."

The room was dead silent.

"Getting back to Lark," Mira piped up, again with the much-needed change of topic, "I was thinking about the shocker the other day that Lark can talk to ghost dogs and talk down Angels of Death. I think it's time for me to go see Mavis. I'd like to shed some light on his past…see if there's anything she can tell me that will help him now."

"Ask why he'd be having nightmares," Gray suggested, "They've been getting worse."

She nodded.

"You're leaving me?" Happy asked, his big eyes glancing up at Mira from where he'd settled on her lap again.

"I thought you'd come with me," she sighed, "but I agree with you – you need to be watching over the Dragneel kids right now."

Happy nodded.

"Is that everything for today?" Levy asked, glancing around the room.

Nobody moved. Several sighs of relief were let out. It had been a pretty intense meeting as it was.

"The Dragneel kids have found a kitten in the woods," Levy offered as everyone started moving to get up, "It's Carla, the Exceed."

"CARLA?" Happy exclaimed, his eyes wide as saucers.

She giggled, "Yup – it's Carla…but the kids aren't going to call her that…they've decided to call her Floofy."

"FLOOFY?" was the room's collective echo.

Levy laughed, "Yeah. Actually, her full name is Strawberry Floofy. They couldn't agree on a name, so they drew straws. Brielle got to name her."

Gray shook his head, "That's a really bad name. But at least it wasn't something REALLY STUPID...like Pookey."

The other Angels murmured their agreement as the meeting broke apart and they went their separate ways.

"Pookey," Gray huffed, "Stupidest...name...ever."

* * *

"Erza," Jellal said, catching up to her before she had a chance to leave the living room.

"I understand why you feel you need to protect Dan and Jackal," she stated flatly, making direct eye contact with him, "You're right. Whatever is happening could be connected to the people we are sworn to protect. We don't have to talk about it now."

"Except we do," Jellal protested, "I can't handle you being this angry at me for so long."

Erza huffed, heading off toward the kitchen.

He followed her, "Please Erza."

She whirled around, sticking an angry finger in his face, "You made your choice, Jellal. Now leave me alone."

Jellal watched her _transport_ away. He didn't even try to follow her. She'd made it very clear…she had no intentions of working things out for now.

* * *

Romeo arrived at work early, pretty much ignoring the call outs from his colleagues as he approached Sting's office. He knew he didn't make it early often...so sue him.

"Good morning!" Yukino greeted him.

She was sitting at Sting's desk, placing the morning paperwork there for Sting to review when he got there.

"Where's Sting?" Romeo asked, glancing around the otherwise-empty office, "He told me to come early."

"He'll be here soon," Yukino told him, "Sometimes he likes to take the kids to school. In the meantime, he asked if I wouldn't mind talking to you for a minute."

Romeo nodded.

"Romeo…" Yukino stood up, gesturing him into the office. He shuffled inside, lightly closing the door behind him, "Sting tells me something is bothering you. Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine," Romeo replied, "Just worrying about Natsu."

"With any luck, Lark will be released today," she said gently, "It'll be a long recovery, but he'll be okay."

"For now," Romeo scoffed, "Until the next time he throws a temper tantrum."

Yukino frowned, "Why are you so hostile toward Lark all the sudden?"

"Because I see how he affects Natsu every day!" Romeo snapped, "Natsu doesn't want Lucy to see things bother him, but we talk on shift. That kid is pushing him to the breaking point. And he might have hit that point yesterday!"

He paused, lowering his voice as he realized he'd pretty much been yelling at Yukino.

"It's not just that. Lark is completely unappreciative of the life Natsu and Lucy have provided for him."

"And how is you being angry on his behalf going to help anything?" Yukino demanded.

Romeo stared at her.

"Romeo…Natsu needs your support," Yukino said gently, "He doesn't need another person adding fuel to his already-raging fire."

Romeo nodded, "Okay. I'll work on keeping my temper in check."

Yukino nodded, smiling brightly at him, "That's what a good partner would do. Be there for him. _Listen_ to him."

Romeo nodded, not making eye contact with her.

"Are you okay otherwise?" Yukino asked, noting the blank look on his face.

"I'm fine," he grunted.

"Sting was mentioning that you're having a hard time with a 'friend'," Yukino said slowly.

He glanced at her, shaking his head, "Wow…nothing is confidential, is it? Yeah – I had a _friend_. And now I don't. It's fine."

Yukino placed a hand on his arm, smiling gently up at him, "You're a good person, Romeo. It hurts now, but one day soon, you'll meet someone else. And she will be the best 'friend' you could possibly ask for."

Romeo managed a smile too, "Maybe. There's a first for everything."

"There you go," Yukino smiled, "And wow - You'll be on time for briefing for once!"

He nodded, leaving the office.

She waited until he was gone before picking up her phone.

 _Romeo has been de-pissed-off-ified. You're welcome._

A moment later, her phone lit up.

 _Thank Babe…you're the best._

She smiled, leaving Sting's office to get ready for briefing. Sting thought if he tried to talk to Romeo himself, it would just turn into something completely different, so he'd asked for Yukino's help. Yukino didn't mind. They were, afterall, one big happy family at the Magnolia Police Department.

* * *

Jellal, Minerva, and Erik sat inside the prison, just outside of Dan's cell quietly. If nothing happened tonight, Dan and Jackal would both be moved to Magnolia tomorrow. On the other side of Fiore, MacBeth, Michelle and Racer would also be outside Jackal's cell. They'd agreed to guard him for one more night, but did not promise any more than that time period. Minerva thought about the tension she'd sensed the other day.

"So, what's the story?" Minerva asked finally.

"What story?" Jellal asked absentmindedly.

"With those guys – you know: MacBeth, Michelle, and Racer," Minerva clarified.

Erik looked down at his hands. Jellal shot her a look that told her he would not be telling the story unless he had Erik's consent.

"I betrayed them," Erik stated, "We were all part of a guild here in Fiore when I was alive. My betrayal cost them their lives."

Minerva nodded, unsure if she should ask for more details or not. Erik had become an Angel long before she and Jellal had. In fact, it was Erik who had lead them to redemption.

"Erik sells himself short," Jellal said, "He was instrumental in stopping a weapon that would have killed a lot of people. He was incarcerated at the time and traded the information he knew for freedom for himself and his comrades. He could have run. He could have had his freedom. Instead, he chose to go back to help the police at the last minute because he _hadn't_ divulged the codes that would deactivate the weapon. Racer, Midnight, and Michelle followed him, not knowing that helping the police was Erik's objective. They were all killed in the process. They might be angry, but their choices to help at the last minute stopped a massacre...and gave them their shots at redemption."

"It doesn't matter now," Erik interjected, "I'm not sorry for the choices I made that led me here. I didn't lead a good life. And I will spend the rest of my existence rectifying my mistakes. Crime Sorciere has been good for me and I have no regrets."

Minerva nodded. She didn't know Erik when he'd been alive and she didn't know what atrocities he'd done during his lifetime, but she knew Erik now. He was kind and smart and he cared about his work. She had worked under both Jellal and Erik and respected both men greatly.

"Do you think they'll help us now?" Minerva asked after a long moment.

Erik shook his head, "I don't know. If Midnight comes, perhaps the other two will follow."

"And what's up with Erza?" Minerva asked.

Jellal heaved out a sigh, "Like I know."

"Just coming from a woman's perspective," Minerva offered, patting Jellal gently on the thigh, I wonder if she doesn't feel included in the relationship."

"What do you mean?" Jellal asked.

"You keep a lot of secrets from her," Minerva stated, putting her hand up when Jellal started to protest, "She _knows_ you have to keep secrets…but have you considered that she is supposed to be your partner? Maybe she's not asking you to tell her all your secrets…but maybe she's asking to be _included_. You make decisions based on your secrets without consulting her. What if she feels left behind? Unequal in the relationship? She knows how important Crime Sorciere is to you…and you left your post at Fairy Tail without batting an eye...and you left her behind without batting an eye."

Jellal considered this point of view, "There's a not really a reason she couldn't come, is there?"

"No," Erik agreed, "We would welcome her help and Sorano could stay in her stead if it came to that."

"And honestly," Jellal sighed, "if I were to include her as my partner, there would be no reason to keep secrets from her anymore. She would be my _partner_ in every sense of the word."

Minerva and Erik both nodded.

"I'll find a way to talk to her over the next few days," Jellal promised.

* * *

"Knock, knock!" a little voice called out.

Lark glanced up from his cell phone where he was watching a video, a grin spreading across his face as he recognized Brielle, Connor, Hansuke and Aki at the door.

"Hey guys! C'mon in!"

Brielle didn't hesitate, running to the side of the bed and launching herself into Lark's body. He groaned, bracing himself against the pain.

"I missed you!" she told him.

"I missed you too, baby girl," he whispered into her hair.

"You look really gross," Brielle told him, looking at the forming scabs on his face and good arm.

"Dude," Hansuke said in awe, "You are going to have some _wicked_ scars!"

"That arm bandage is really cool," Connor exclaimed, poking at it with a finger, "It's like a brace! Can you move your arm at all with that thing on?"

Aki sighed, "The purpose is to _keep_ it from moving, Connor."

"No video games for you until it heals!" Connor cheered, "That means we get to play all we want and you can't kick us off!"

Hansuke laughed, "As if, Connor. Mom and Dad don't let us play whenever we want. There will still be rules."

"Mom and Dad will bring the other kids in later. We're not supposed to stay long," Aki told Lark.

"How's everything?" Lark asked her.

"School sucked," Aki stated, "The rumours are out. Everyone has a theory on what happened to you."

Lark sighed, "Yeah, I knew that was going to happen."

Aki rolled her eyes, "You have no idea. Everyone knows you're in the hospital, but the rumours say everything from your arm was taken right off to you're dead."

Lark didn't respond.

"Our middle school had an assembly," Hansuke told him, "And we were warned about the dangers of going into off-limit areas and taking stupid chances."

"Great," Lark huffed, "Looks like I'm famous."

"But we got a kitten!" Connor exclaimed as if it wasn't a complete change of topic, "She's white and she's super-cute!"

"Mom hasn't said yes yet," Aki reminded him.

"And she has the awesomest name ever!" Brielle added, ignoring Aki, "Her name is Strawberry Floofy!"

Lark chuckled after a long moment of shocked silence, "Let me guess...did you name her, Brielle?"

Brielle nodded excitedly.

"Okay, you guys," Aki said, helping Brielle off the bed, "Lark needs to get some rest now. It's time for us to go."

Brielle pulled something from coat pocket, "I almost forgot! I brought Mr. Bugsy for you, Lark. He helps me sleep. Momma said you haven't been sleeping very well."

Lark kissed the top of her head, "Thank you, Bri. That was very thoughtful of you...but what about you? Aren't you worried you won't sleep?"

She shook her head, placing Mr. Bugsy in the crook of Lark's casted arm, "Mr. Bugsy and I talked about that. He checked my room and made sure it's safe, so it's okay for him to stay here with you. It's more important that you get better so you can come home."

 _That_ tugged at his heartstrings. He hugged her gently, then turned to his other siblings, "Thanks for coming."

Aki grinned, winking as she herded the other kids toward the door, "We'll see you home soon, big brother. Hurry up and get better so we can kick your ass for scaring us."

"Best part is - he can't even run away and he only has one arm! Kicking his ass will be easy!" Hansuke yelled as he went out the door.

"Hansuke! Language!" Aki warned.

Lark chuckled as the door closed again, amazed at the complete and total silence in the room once his siblings were gone.

* * *

"Any questions?" Sting asked.

It was unusual to hold a briefing this late in the day, but the development had only just become official. Sting was letting his officers know about Fairy Tail's new guests that would be joining them tomorrow. Given the sensitivity of the mission, Sting thought it best to inform his officers immediately about the development. Many of his officers remembered what had happened 16 years ago first-hand. The others had just been briefed on the entire matter. Natsu stood at the back of the room, listening as well. He had only stopped in for a few minutes on his way back to the hospital when Rogue told him about the meeting. It seemed surreal that they were talking about his wife. But the fact that Natsu and Gajeel's wives and a lot of the officers had been there during the incident simply made the whole thing more personal to Sting and Rogue and everyone else in the room. They would do what was necessary to protect Magnolia.

Droy put his hand up. Sting nodded to him.

"How long will they be here?" Droy asked.

"Two weeks tops," Rogue told them, "Fairy Tail has issued a time limit since half their members refuse to be in the building at the same time."

"And we're helping with security, why?" Romeo asked, "Shouldn't the prison be providing the guards?"

"They are for the most part," Sting replied, "The Magnolia Police Department will be appointing an assistive guard, just in case. These men have wreaked havoc on Magnolia before. We will take no chances."

"Any other questions?" Rogue asked.

The department went silent.

Romeo glanced back at Natsu, brooding in the darkness of the back of the room. For a moment, he could have sworn he saw a flash of red in Natsu's eyes.

* * *

Happy smiled as he followed his kids to the car where Levy was waiting to take them home. That visit had gone reasonably well and his kids were already starting to smile again now that they knew Lark was going to be okay. Happy's new assignment made him happy. He missed the entire family. The boys were busily chatting to each other and Aki was yakking with Levy. Happy had missed the noise.

Yup. He was one happy kitty!

Levy pulled into the Dragneel driveway and came to a stop. The chatter didn't stop as the four Dragneel kids got out of the car and headed for the house. Lucy and Levy met in the driveway, cheerfully bantering about the successful visit with Lark. But Happy didn't pay attention to that. He wanted to see his other kids. The twins and Mieske would be next to go see Lark, but Happy needed to see that they were okay for himself.

He rounded the corner, his eyes widening with excitement as he spotted all of his kids huddled on the couch in the living room. He settled himself above Aki in the Lazy Boy, listening to their idle chatter. It had been a long time since he'd felt so complete...all his kids in one spot...

"She's so cute!" Mieske was saying, "Look at her eyes! They're so shiny!"

"I think Happy's eyes were bigger!" Hansuke grinned.

Happy cocked an ear, glancing over his shoulder.

"She has a really long tail too," Connor commented, "Happy's tail was much stubbier."

Happy looked behind him at his white and blue tail, frowning.

"And she's really soft!" Haru added.

"I think she's even softer than Happy was," Aimi added shyly.

Happy frowned again, glancing down at his fur. He took great pride in making sure he was well-groomed! Of course he was soft!

"You have to remember," Aki reminded them, "Happy was really old."

Happy let out a feral cry, "I'm not OLD!"

He was a lot of things, but old was not one of them. As far as Exceeds went, he was really young! He was only hatched about 30 years ago! In fact, wasn't Carla about the same age?

"OKAY CARLA!" Happy announced, jumping off of the top of Lazy Boy. He stalked over to the group of kids, determined to tell Carla where she stood in the ranking of the household, "LEMME TELL YA HOW IT'S GONNA BE! THESE ARE _MY KIDS_. YOU MIGHT BE THE NEW KITTEN, BUT  THEY BELONG TO -!"

Happy paused mid-sentence, his mouth agape as he regarded the beautiful white Exceed. She was nestled on Mieske's lap, purring lightly (purposely and obnoxiously) as the kids fawned over her. Gone was the awkward Exceed kitten he'd last seen a really long time ago. This cat was gorgeous... this cat was delectable...this cat was -

"Stare much?" Carla hissed.

"Oh - she wants to go!" Aimi told the younger kids, "Remember what Mom and Dad said...if she wants to go, let her. That way, she'll come back later."

The other kids nodded, watching her jump off Mieske's lap and pad across the living room, flicking Happy with her tail as she passed him.

"Out with the old, in with the new!" she told Happy, "The kids are mine now...get over it."

Happy's mouth was still agape several minutes after the living room emptied.

"Mavis," he whispered finally, glancing around the empty living room, "I think I'm in love!"

* * *

Lark had his visit with Aimi, Haru and Mieske about two hours after the other kids left. It was a lot quieter than the visit with the first set of kids since Lucy and Natsu were their escorts and actually came into the room with them.

Natsu smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed as the other kids went with Lucy to get a ride home. Lucy would come back afterward to get Natsu.

"You look so much better today, Lark," he commented.

Lark tried to smile back, but his nervousness was showing. Natsu looked tired. His eyes were dark with worry...worry that Lark caused.

"I feel better," Lark admitted, adjusting his position slightly, "But I think I'm cramping up from being in this bed all day."

"Hopefully tomorrow you can go home," Natsu agreed.

"Okay...let me have it," Lark said, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. He thought about calling out for Wendy to dissolve the tension, but deep down, he knew she couldn't...and shouldn't. Lark and Natsu had to find common ground on their own.

Natsu shook his head, "It didn't have to get this bad. I hate the tension. I really wish we could just make things go back to normal."

Lark gulped again.

"But I'm not going to lecture you," Natsu said finally, "I don't want to fight. I want to work this out. Fighting is getting us nowhere."

Lark let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Do you remember much about the fire, Lark?" he asked.

Lark tried never to think about the fire. It reminded him too much about his nightmares.

"We only had Aki home at the time," Natsu recalled, "Luce was pregnant with Hansuke. We knew even then that we were going to have a big family."

Lark noted how Natsu shifted uncomfortably. He wondered if Natsu had slept - really slept - at all in the last 2 days.

"I arrived at the orphanage when the building was mostly engulfed in flame," he recanted, "The orphanage lady was freaking out...her babies were still in the building...and the firefighters were warning us the entire building would collapse, but I took off into the building to find the missing children anyway. All I could think about was Aki."

Lark squirmed, a memory flashing in front of his eyes. He remembered the heavy smoke and the twins screaming.

"Gajeel ran in after me and between the two of us, we managed to find you trapped in a closet in the bedroom," Natsu told him, "We grabbed you and jumped out of a 3-story window into an inflatable pillow. I will never forget how you clung to me...the fear in your eyes. Every fibre of my being wanted to protect you and keep you safe. The twins...they were too young to fully understand the danger...but _you knew_."

Lark remembered falling out of the window and worked to keep his breathing from getting laboured. Natsu had no idea he was sending him into a panic attack. It was too close to his nightmares. He could feel his breaths getting harder to take. _But he would not upset Natsu by freaking out. Not now._

"I knew at the scene of the fire that I wanted to keep all three of you," Natsu told him, "And by the time we got to the hospital, Luce knew too."

Lark could barely hear him, concentrating on breathing in and out...in and out... Tears started gathering in his eyes.

"The point is, Lark," Natsu said softly, "We love you. All of us. You were meant to be a Dragneel. You were destined to be ours. You belong with us. Always have, always will...no matter what."

Lark nodded, unable to speak for fear of losing control of himself. Flashes of the fire flaring in front of the small group as they headed for the stairs floated through his memory. He felt a wave of comfort reverberate through the room. It was effective almost immediately since Lark felt better just knowing an Angel was nearby.

"That fear I felt the first time I saw you," Natsu confided. He wiped the tears streaming out of his eyes, "That's what I feel now, Lark. I just want to protect you and keep you safe...but I don't know how. I can't seem to find a way to reach you...and then in my frustration, I lash out."

Lark's own tears blinded him, but he still couldn't seem to find words.

"Can we both try?" Natsu asked, "I'll take counselling with you...I'll listen to whatever you say. I want to get past this. You are my son. I would never kick you out and I will never stop loving you."

Lark still couldn't find his voice, but he nodded curtly.

"I'm going to go so you can get some sleep," Natsu smiled, getting off the bed and wiping the last of his tears away.

Lark's mind was spinning. The unmovable Natsu Dragneel felt things too. While the one-sided conversation eased Lark's mind immensely, it also conflicted him further. How could he fix this? He still couldn't bring Angels into the conversation.

"I love you, son," Natsu reiterated as he wrapped him in a loose hug. Lark's good arm went around Natsu's back, returning the hug.

Lark was still struggling to keep himself together when Lucy appeared at the door, smiling at the sweet scene.

He felt another wave of comfort pass through the room.

Lucy entered the room, hugging Lark from the other side.

"I'm glad you two talked," she said, kissing the top of Lark's head, "But we should let you sleep now."

Both Natsu and Lucy got up to leave, turning their backs to him as they started for the door.

"I'm sorry!" Lark yelped, making them both turn around.

"We know," Natsu assured him. He waited for Lucy to grab his hand, "We'll see you tomorrow, Lark...and we'll talk more when you're feeling better...hopefully we can bring you home."

Lark nodded, still heaving slightly as Natsu and Lucy headed for the door. Lark let the tears roll down his face for several minutes, trying to calm himself down as he reflected on Natsu's words. It sounded almost like an apology. But more than that, it showed Natsu cared very deeply...and he was willing to get past everything one way or another.

"Wendy?" he asked once Natsu and Lucy were long gone, "I'm sorry I almost freaked out when he told me that story. Thank you for helping me keep it from him. I don't want to scare him anymore."

He leaned back into his pillow, willing himself to calm down.

In the _shadows_ , Wendy sent out another wave of comfort, tears pricking her eyes.

* * *

Dan took a deep breath. Even through the mask he wore that prevented him from seeing him where he was going, it was the first breath of fresh air outside the prison that he'd taken in 16 years.

The Prison Board was not taking chances. Both Dan and Jackal were considered mass murderers. Dan wore a straight jacket and his legs were shackled. Armed guards escorted him the 10 feet from the prison gate to the armoured shuttle bus.

Jackal was already on the bus, garbed in the same safety precautions Dan was. He grunted his greeting, not really having much to say to the cocky bastard anyway.

They were both shackled into their seats. One of the guards that would escort them to Magnolia thumped the front of the cab with his foot, indicating everything was secure.

The van began to move: Destination - Magnolia.

* * *

From the shadows of the prison, an amused Tempester watched the van roll away, then disappeared to his own destination. Dan was not the next target, but Dan was pretty stupid if he thought leaving the prison would protect him. Tempester would not be taking the next target. Someone _else_ was doing the honours. And soon, that person would just be another memory no one cared to remember. Dan had a few more days. Jackal would be first, then Dan. And then...Tempester grinned...the real fun would begin.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Numerous events are now going to start happening and things are going to get interesting fast now that ground work is mostly laid. Lay your thoughts on me! Reviews are always so appreciated!_**

 ** _Until next week!_**

 ** _~Shana~_**

 ** _P.S. I changed my mind. I really want to get Chapter 12 out because Chapter 13 is where things start moving. So, it's coming...probably Sunday. Have an amazing Easter weekend :D_**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Just want to thank Quite-A-Riot for her help on the next 2 chapters - and OtakuPrincess 28, as always. It takes a village to build a story.**_

* * *

"How do you feel today, Lark?" Dr. Porlyusica asked as she entered the room the next day.

"I feel good," Lark told her, "Antsy. I'm not used to sitting still for this long."

Her eyes narrowed as she regarded him, "If I let you go home, you are to stay still until that arm is well on its way to being healed. No school for at least 2 – 3 weeks yet. And stay off that damned board! Just because you won't be in the hospital doesn't mean you get a free pass to go back to being a moron!"

He nodded, "I'll behave. I promise."

"And how do you feel about going home? You know you'll have to face the music," Dr. Porlyusica fiddled with the bandage on his forehead again, checking the wound underneath.

He winced. Why did she insist on _poking_ it?

"I know," he acknowledged, "I'm ready. My parents…they love me. We'll work everything out."

She nodded, starting to rebandage his forehead, "This is looking really good. I'm impressed with how well it's healing."

He was quiet as she finished up, sitting back to look at him.

"It looks good, Lark. And if you think you can work things out with your parents now, I think you can go home today," she told him.

Lark felt a smile tug at his lips, "Thank you."

She nodded, "But whatever is bugging you…you have to let them get help for you. Your mother mentioned she works for Fairy Tail. They have some good counsellors there."

"Cana is almost like an Aunt to me," Lark told her, "Lucy already discussed it with her. I'll be seeing her soon."

Dr. Porlyusica nodded again, studying the young man. He was calm today. The extra day of rest had done him some good.

"It's a danged miracle how well you're healing," she huffed, "Don't mess it up by being stupid. If you end up back in my hospital, I'll finish you off myself!"

Lark laughed, knowing that was her way of joking with him.

"I'm serious!" she told him in a firm voice, "I don't want to see you here again. Figure out why you're stupid and fix it. You can only get lucky so many times."

"Dr. Porlyusica?" Lark asked as she stood up.

She locked eyes with him. There was a long pause.

"Do you believe in Angels?" Lark asked.

Dr. Porlyusica paused for a long moment. For a minute, Lark was pretty sure she'd answer with something sarcastic, letting him know again how ridiculous he was.

"In my line of work," Dr. Porlyusica said slowly, sitting back down on the edge of Lark's bed, "I see things every day that cannot be explained. I've seen accidents like yours – where the person _should have_ died – and I've even seen a catatonic woman walk again. Do I believe in Angels? I don't know. But I do believe in second chances. And you've got one, Larcade Dragneel. Don't waste it."

She stood up again, gathering her materials, then headed for the door.

"You aren't stupid, Lark. I know you can figure this out. Now get out of my hospital!"

She paused, glancing back at him one last time. He was certain he saw a smile on her face, but he couldn't be sure. The next moment, she was gone.

"Wendy?" Lark called after he was sure Dr. Porlyusica wasn't coming back, "I just want to say thank you again. I won't waste my second chance…"

There was no answer. After Wendy had sent him the vibe the other night, Lark had felt more hopeful than ever before. He'd never had an Angel who would interact with him before. Truthfully, he hoped she'd appear to him again too. She hadn't given him another clue to her presence, but that didn't mean he'd stop trying.

Lark sighed, settling back into his pillows to rest until his parents checked in. He would get to tell them he could go home.

* * *

It was an immaculate place. Flowers of every imaginable variety were perfectly groomed and bloomed everywhere the eye could see. A waterfall and pool sat at the edge of the garden beside the small house that served as Mavis's dwelling. Vines encircled the tiny house and if Mira didn't know it was a house, it would easily disappear into the array of stark beauty the rest of the garden held.

Mira could never get enough of the stunning array of life in this garden. Mavis had every creature imaginable living in her garden. It remained hidden from most Angels, but Mavis had long ago given Mira access to it through a lacrima only entrusted to certain Angels. This was Mavis's sanctuary…her refuge. This was Mavis's home.

Mira approached the door, raising her hand to knock when she felt Mavis's presence behind her. She turned, greeting Mavis with a wide smile.

"It's good to see you, Mira," Mavis greeted, immediately hugging the taller girl, "I just finished my walk. You have good timing."

"It's good to see you too," Mira replied.

Mavis withdrew from the hug, opening the door to invite Mira inside. Her house was nothing out of the ordinary, just the way Mavis preferred it. She had a small living room with a comfortable couch and a kitchen with a table for two. Bookshelves lined the living room wall. Mira smiled slightly, wondering what kind of hay day Levy would have there. The contents of Mavis's library was sure to have rare books never gazed upon by the human - or Angelic - eye. A bedroom was off to one side. It was small, but comfortable – and perfect for the Daughter of God.

"Why don't I grab a tea for us?" Mavis suggested, "I picked up some really nice tea the last time I was on Earthland. Then we can go sit in the garden."

Mira nodded her approval to the idea.

Mavis waved her hand, instantly boiling water in a kettle in front of her. She stirred the two piping mugs until she was satisfied it was perfect, then motioned to the door.

They walked in relative silence at first, Mira still keenly observing the Eden that Mavis lived in. Small marsupials playfully bantered in the flowers, popping their heads up randomly, squeaking with delight, then disappearing.

She paused as a large panther crossed their path. It gave Mira a sideways glance, then purred as Mavis stooped to pet his velvety fur.

"Carla will return in due time, Lily," she promised, "Now go. See to the other Exceeds."

Mira was oddly unafraid of the giant cat as Lily glanced back at Mira again. His gleaming yellow eyes drew her in, as if to assess her presence in the garden. Satisfied that his mistress was in no danger, he stalked off down the path.

"So, tell me all the new gossip!" Mavis urged gently as she ushered Mira to a gazebo with a porch swing, "How are things going with Laxus?"

Mira snapped back to attention, amazed at how easily she could get lost in the scenery.

"I…will definitely tell you about that," Mira promised, "But unfortunately, this visit isn't all pleasure today. I need to ask you some things. About Larcade."

Mavis cocked her head, "You saw Larcade?"

Mira nodded slowly, "There's been some things recently that I think you should know about. We need to know a few things...to help him deal with what's been happening in his life."

"Is he behaving?" Mavis asked.

Mira paused again, "He did have an accident, and he's in the hospital right now, but -"

"He's in the hospital?" Mavis exclaimed, her eyes wide, "Is he okay?"

"He's -" Mira started.

"I wish I could see him!" Mavis interrupted, "How bad is it?"

"Well -"

Mira glanced at her friend, who was already opening her mouth to interject with her next question.

"Mavis," Mira said slowly, "I can't tell you anything unless you will listen."

"I'm sorry," Mavis said in a low voice, "It kills me that I can't see him."

"Why can't you see him?" Mira asked.

"I'll be quiet," Mavis promised, re-composing herself, "And I can explain why I can't go see him...but you should go first."

Mavis glanced down at her hands, then shifted her legs onto the swing, getting comfortable for what was sure to be a long story.

* * *

"Hi Carla!" Happy grinned ear-to-ear as he found Carla basking in the sun, perched on top of the Lazy Boy in front of the living room window, "Or should I say, _Strawberry Floofy!"_

He covered his mouth, snickering noisily into his hands.

Carla eyed him, growling, "Good grief, Tom-Cat! If I didn't know better, I'd think you put them up to that!"

Happy grinned, "Brielle is really cute, isn't she? And Connor – don't you love his eyes? He's so funny and – "

"The children are only gone for as long as they're in school!" Carla told him, "And I would prefer to use this time to catch a nap! Please leave!"

Happy frowned. That was why he'd come to her now…the kids were all at school! It was the perfect time to get to know each other.

"I just wanted to get re-acquainted," Happy said sadly.

"I'm here to do a job," she informed him curtly, "And that does not include dealing with a mangy Tom-Cat with former-bratsitter issues! Now go away!"

Happy's head hung. There were so many things wrong with what she'd just said to him…

For one thing, his kids weren't brats. He was sure she'd have caught onto that by now. Each kid had their own special personality and he loved them all. For another, he wasn't _mangy_.

His eyes perked up as he realized what must be wrong. Carla must be _hungry!_ After all, she'd just arrived from Heaven and she probably hadn't eaten yet. Exceeds required food on Earthland, but since this was probably her first mission here, she wouldn't know that!

Yes – that was it! She didn't mean what she just said!

Carla had already rested her head back on her paws, completely ignoring him, but Happy was on a mission now. He padded off to the kitchen.

This situation could only be rectified _with fish!_

* * *

Daisuke pretended to read the text book in front of him, but he found his eyes wandering over to Sora's desk again. She'd done a complete flip from the anxiety-ridden mess she had been over the past two days. The difference was incredible. Today, she was laughing and making jokes with her friends like nothing had happened. Even yesterday, her whole demeanor had changed. She was much more positive – almost completely back to normal. Not that Daisuke was complaining. He was glad to see her smiling again. It was just really...sudden.

Daisuke had backed off on protecting her a bit, letting her come out of her shell. He was pretty sure Lark would be released from the hospital today. Aki and the other Dragneel kids had come to school again, pretty much convinced of that. For Lark's sake, he hoped it was true. The sooner things were resolved and back to normal, the better it would be for everyone.

* * *

"Is this really necessary?" Lark sighed as he saw the wheelchair that was brought to his bedside.

"You haven't been out of bed in 3 days," Lucy told him, "And it's hospital policy. So yes. It's necessary."

Lark sighed, conceding to it. He wasn't about to start his trip home by arguing.

"Sit on the edge of the bed," the nurse instructed.

"I can stand on my own," Lark assured her, shooting her a friendly grin.

She blushed. Lark inadvertently wondered if it was purposeful that most of his nurses had been older. He'd missed flirting. He loved the reaction it caused. This nurse was young and very pretty.

He stood, shifting into the wheelchair with minimal effort, but grunted as he realized his bandaged arm was jarred slightly, giving him some pain.

"Okay, driver!" Lark announced happily once he was settled, "Get me outta here!"

Lucy grinned, "Aye, sir!"

Wendy followed them down the hall, smiling at Lark's chipper attitude. He greeted everyone he came across, only staying quiet once they reached the elevator.

"You've got the pain management prescription?" the nurse asked Lucy.

"In my purse," Lucy replied.

"And you know he has an appointment for follow up with Dr. Porlyusica in two weeks?" the nurse prodded.

"I'll be turning cartwheels by then!" Lark promised her.

They arrived at the front doors. Natsu had the car pulled up. He got out, immediately rounding the vehicle to open the back door for his son.

Lark stood, easing himself into the back seat so his shoulder wouldn't jar again. Lucy reached around him, securing the seatbelt.

"Wait!" Lark yelled suddenly, "Mr. Bugsy! Do we have Mr. Bugsy?"

The nurses glanced at each other. Lark wondered briefly where the other nurse had come from, but it was hardly the issue right then. A third young nurse approached from the side.

"I have Mr. Bugsy," Lucy told him, "He's in my purse."

"I should hold him," Lark suggested, "When Brielle sees me, I want her to know I appreciated that she lent him to me."

The nurses giggled as Lucy placed the purple rabbit in Lark's lap. He shot them a sexy grin.

"My baby sister," he explained, "She wanted me to get better, so she lent me Mr. Bugsy."

Natsu shut the door, but not before Lark heard the anticipated 'awwwww' from the pretty nurses.

"The kids will get home shortly after we do," Lucy told Lark as they pulled away from the hospital, "We'll have just enough time to settle you in."

Lark nodded, a contented grin on his face. Despite the anxieties of the past few days, he was happy. He was going _home._

* * *

Mavis nodded as Mira finished recanting all the events that had happened recently in Magnolia.

They swung slowly on the gazebo swing, moving to the gentle breeze. The day was immaculate as always. Mira loved the animals that made their way to the gazebo to sit with Mavis. She nonchalantly passed out carrots and leaves of lettuce to the various animals that came to her, never missing a beat in their conversation. A rabbit sat in her lap now, birds lining the frame of the gazebo.

Mira started with Brielle's accident. It was with some trepidation that she admitted to Mavis that she had covered up Brielle's name in the Log Book, trusting her dear friend to keep it from the Council. Mavis understood why, but she frowned as she came to the same conclusions that the Angel group had: Lark could not only see Angels, he could interact with them. And something about him caused an Angel of Death to cease her orders. Not only that, but he could see ghost dogs. From there, Mira proceeded to tell Mavis about Lark's fight with Natsu, which ultimately ended up with his accident.

"We don't know how to help him," Mira concluded, "It's driving him slowly insane."

"His abilities are increasing," Mavis said in a low voice, "I was wondering if that would happen. It seems the older he gets, the more his abilities increase."

Mira glanced at her, making a mental note to ask why Mavis had termed it as 'his abilities'.

"But the nightmares are increasing as well," Mira told her.

"The nightmares?" Mavis asked.

"He says he's had them all his life...but recently they've increased in severity and number," Mira told her, "They scare him to the point where he doesn't want to sleep."

Mavis nodded again, a shadow crossing her face.

"Mavis..." Mira said softly, "Can you tell me more about him? Can you tell us why he sees Angels and what abilities you're talking about? We really don't know how to help him."

Mavis was quiet for a long moment, feeding a nearby deer some carrots. The animals loved the food she brought from Earthland. It was their special treat.

"The answer to your question," Mavis told Mira, "is long and complicated. I know why Larcade is having such a hard time...but in order for you to understand, I have to tell you everything."

* * *

"IT'S A MACKEREL!" Happy yelled, "What's _wrong_ with you? All cats like fish!"

Carla stuck her nose in the air, " _I_ am not a cat! _I_ am an Exceed! Take your stinky fish elsewhere."

Happy sighed, sitting down beside the mackerel. It smelled heavenly to him.

"Hey," he said thoughtfully, "How come you can talk to me? I couldn't talk when I was placed here on Earthland, let alone see other Angels. In fact, I don't even think the other Angels _recognized_ me...yet they all know who you are. I mean, I knew there were Angels, but I couldn't talk to them."

She scoffed, looking in the other direction, "You probably _could_ _have_. You were probably just too dense to try it!"

Happy's face fell. Maybe he _hadn't_ tried talking to the Angels...but she didn't have to be mean about it.

"I hear the eldest Dragneel boy is coming home from the hospital today," Carla said, her voice changing to something less aggravated, "I assume you'll be watching him full-time and leaving the rest of the kids to me."

"You assume wrong," Happy told her, "Wendy is in charge of Lark. I'm s'posed to look after the other kids. Nobody knew you were coming, so I guess we have to look after them together."

She scoffed again, "Honestly!"

Happy tried not to let her attitude bug him. He looked at the fish again. So she didn't like mackerel. There were plenty of other types of fish in the sea. It was just a matter of trial and error.

* * *

Daisuke narrowed his eyes as he strained to see Sora's locker through the multitude of moving student bodies. She was yakking to Aki as they packed their things to leave the school. Levy would be picking her up since she was still grounded. It made him happy to see her doing so much better.

He finished packing his backpack and began moving down the hall to catch up to Aki and the Dragneel twins. He would escort them home again today since Toby and Yuka insisted on taunting them every chance they got. Plus, people still bombarded them with questions on Lark's whereabouts and condition.

The five of them exited the school together, successfully avoiding everyone. Levy was parked at her usual pick-up spot.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" Sora called, running to the car.

"She seems a lot better," Aki commented as they turned to walk homeward.

Daisuke nodded, "She does. It's a relief. I'll be right back. I just want to see if Levy has heard anything about Lark today."

He took off, running after Sora toward the car.

Aki nodded, completely absorbed in her own thoughts as she waited for Daisuke to come back. The twins walked ahead, engrossed in their own conversation. It was fine. They could go ahead. It's not like they _had_ to walk with Aki.

Noting Daisuke deeply engrossed in the conversation at the car, she checked her watch.

"What's your hurry?" Yuka asked, dropping an arm around her shoulder.

She groaned, "Seriously, you guys…I've had enough today. Get lost!"

"You wound us!" Toby drawled, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Aki squirmed to get out of their grasps.

"You know," Yuka said thoughtfully, "We could go get a milkshake together. You're not doing anything special today, right?"

"I'm going home!" she told them.

"Oh c'mon!" Toby grinned, "We can share a straw."

"Leave her alone," Daisuke warned from behind.

Aki hadn't even noticed Sora's car drive away. She breathed a sigh of relief as Yuka and Toby's arms dropped from her.

"Cheney! We were wondering when you'd show up," Toby grinned, "We were just _talking_ to her."

Daisuke reached for Aki, pulling her behind him, "Well, she doesn't want to talk to you."

He turned, guiding Aki out of the school yard and on the path for home. The twins were across the street, waiting for the older teenagers. Haru's expression foretold his growing anger as well as he waited for them to cross the street.

Aki looked over her shoulder, worry crossing her brow as she realized Yuka and Toby were following them.

"We can't go home," she told him, "They'll follow us."

Daisuke nodded, getting ready to cross the street, "They'll lose interest. Let's just get out of here."

She made sure her backpack was secure to her shoulders, then crossed the street with Daisuke, trying not to look over her shoulder again. With her brother and Daisuke both fired up, it would be a mistake to show her nervousness now.

* * *

"Larcade!" Cana yelled as she slammed the door shut behind her.

She lumbered into the living room, grinning when she saw him laying down on the couch. His face lit up as he swung his feet over the edge, sitting up to return the hug she forced on him.

"What's this I hear about a stupid-ass stunt you pulled?" she demanded.

Natsu and Lucy exchanged glances. Cana had no filter off the job. And she absolutely did not filter anything she said to Lark. But Lark had always adored Cana and he'd bonded with her more closely than any of Natsu and Lucy's other friends.

"It was stupid," Lark admitted, "And I can safely promise not to do it again."

She smacked him upside the head, careful not to hit the bandage on his forehead, "Yeah you won't! Because I'll kick your ass into next week, got it?"

He nodded solemnly.

"Natsu. Lucy. Take a hike. Let me talk to my boy."

Natsu and Lucy glanced at each other again, but sauntered off into their room to give Lark and Cana privacy.

Lark sniffed the air, "Had an afternoon drink on the way over, didja?"

Cana waved a hand, "Whatever. It was a stressful day at work."

"You can hardly lecture me on being irresponsible," Lark snorted.

"Who said I was gonna lecture you?" Cana demanded, "I just came to make sure you're in one piece."

Lark gestured down his body, "See? One piece."

She flicked his casted arm with single finger, making him cringe with pain.

"Sewn back together," she confirmed, "but in one piece and as sexy as ever."

He laughed. He missed Cana. Sometimes it would be months between visits, but he'd always enjoyed her company. They didn't hold back with each other, saying exactly what was on their minds at the moment. Some people couldn't believe Cana could be so brazen with a kid, but it couldn't be denied that they were close (in a completely non-sexual way, regardless of how they teased each other) and Lark could tell her just about anything.

"We've discussed this before - you're way too old for me."

"Whatever, perv...we decided you can't keep up with me," Cana shot back, "So you'll just have to settle for being my favourite nephew."

Lark sighed dramatically, "You might be right about that. Nephew it is."

She grinned, tousling his hair before sitting back on the coffee table. Time to see where they would need to start with therapy - how much was he willing to divulge in this conversation?

"Okay, spill!" Cana demanded.

"Thought you said you weren't going to lecture me!" he countered.

"I'm not!" Cana insisted, "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to _listen_ to you. So spill…what's your deal?"

He went quiet, letting out a deep sigh. He'd hoped to be home for more than 20 minutes before having to explain himself to anyone.

"Okay," she said softly, "You're not ready. That's cool. But I'll be back tomorrow and I'm going to ask you to spill again…and every day after that until you're ready. We're family, Lark. But what gets said between you and me _stays_ between you and me. I just want you to know that."

"I do," he promised, "Thanks Cana."

Her eyes bulged from her head, "Whooooaaa…when did you lose the 'Aunt' part? Who gave you permission to do that? Thought we just talked about that!"

He chuckled.

"And another thing…" she paused, wrinkling her nose in disgust, "…why is there a dead fish in the middle of the floor?"

* * *

"It was about 16 Earthland years ago when I discovered Larcade's existence," Mavis started, staring straight ahead as she began her tale, "I don't know how long he existed before that. Layla and I were traveling the world to try to get past our own anxieties. What happened with Lucy and Natsu set us both free in more ways than one. For Layla, she saw her daughter gain the happiness she would never have. Her guilt was eased knowing her daughter would not suffer the same loveless existence she endured. "

Mira nodded, noting the bunny on Mavis's lap had adjusted again, revealing 4 tiny bunnies. Mavis was oblivious, almost zombie-like as she contemplated how to tell her story.

"I was riding on the high of managing to save Natsu from the ultimate punishment," Mavis continued, "For years, I'd been nothing but an observer. The Heavenly Council decided the fates of Angels who crossed the Book, which was extremely rare. I had never intervened before...and it felt amazing to help change Natsu's outcome. And so, we traveled Fiore, helping anybody we came across. I was inspired to come out of my shell and let go of my own past."

"Your own past?" Mira repeated.

Mavis nodded, "Natsu's past and mine are intertwined. I was - withdrawn...withdrawn from daily Heavenly duties due to what happened. What happened to me...and to Natsu...was horrific. The result was me withdrawing into myself...and Natsu remembering nothing of his human life, thus becoming _The Angel of Oops."_

"I don't understand," Mira said slowly, "What happened? And how does it connect to what's going on with Lark now?"

Mavis took a deep breath, willing herself to continue, "It was me that had the Book changed so that humans and Angels could not have a relationship, well before the _Angel of Oops_ incident, so it was only fitting that I be the one to add a law to save Natsu."

"I still don't understand," Mira repeated, "You're going back and forth. What's the connection between your past, Natsu's, and Larcade's?"

Mavis's anxiety was showing in her face as she contemplated how to answer the question.

"Zeref."

"Who's Zeref?" Mira asked, noting the pained expression on Mavis's face.

"Zeref," Mavis said slowly, "Is my former lover...Natsu Dragneel's brother...and Larcade's father."

* * *

Lark heard the door open and repositioned himself on the couch so that Mr. Bugsy was safely cradled in his arms. Cana had left about 20 minutes earlier and he'd managed a cat nap, but he knew the kids were due home soon.

"Lark!" Brielle yelled when she came into the living room. She pushed past Connor and Mieske, launching herself onto Lark's body.

Lark groaned in pain, "Ohhhh…Brielle...when did you get so heavy?"

"Mr. Bugsy did his job!" she laughed excitedly, ignoring his groans of pain, "You're home!"

"He was a real help!" Lark moaned, finally settling Brielle into the crook of his good arm, "I made sure to thank him with marshmallow and Nutella sandwiches."

"Those are his favourite!" Brielle confirmed.

"Glad you're home," Mieske said, patting Lark's good shoulder.

"Me too," Connor agreed, "But don't heal too fast. I want your turns on the video games."

Lark laughed. Connor had a one-track mind.

"Have you seen the kitty yet?" Mieske asked.

Lark shook his head, glancing around the living room, "Where is she?"

"Strawberry Floofy!" Brielle called, leaving Lark's arms with Mr. Bugsy safely cradled within hers, "Come here, Strawberry Floofy!"

Lark chuckled as Mieske and Connor followed her, looking for the cat.

Hansuke opened the door, his eyes lighting up as he recognized Lark on the couch, "Welcome home!"

"Thanks, Buddy," Lark sighed, getting to a sitting-up position.

"Where's Mom n' Dad?" Hansuke asked. He frowned, "And the younger kids?"

"Mom and Dad had an errand or two to run downtown," Lark informed him, "My pain meds needed to be filled. The younger kids are looking for the cat so I can see her."

"And Aki and the twins aren't home yet?" Hansuke asked, frowning again.

"No," Lark said, the concern from Hansuke's voice getting to him. He glanced at the clock. Sometimes Lark didn't come home right after school, but he knew Aki and the twins normally got home before the smaller kids did.

"I'm sure it's fine," Hansuke said, crossing the room to his shoes, "But if you want, I'll walk to their school and intercept them."

"No need," Aki told him as the door opened again, "Sorry we're late."

"What happened?" Lark asked.

Haru scowled, leaving the room almost immediately. Aki had made him promise not to tell Lark about Toby and Yuka.

"Nothing," Aimi said immediately. She put her book bag on the shelf, then headed straight down the hall to her room, "Welcome home, Lark!"

"Aki?" Lark demanded, "What happened?"

"Nothing," Aki promised, smiling brightly, "Welcome home!"

* * *

"They're looking for you, you know," Happy taunted.

He was sitting on top of the book shelf in Brielle's room, watching Carla's tail twitch underneath of the bedspread she hid under. They could both hear Mieske, Brielle and Connor stomping through the house, calling 'Strawberry Floofy' at the top of their lungs.

"Hush up, Tom Cat!" Carla hissed, poking her head out of the covers, "Don't you _dare_ tell them where I am!"

Happy jumped off the bookshelf, sending 3 books clamouring to the ground. He held out a filleted bass, "Accept my fish."

"No!" she yelled.

He grinned wickedly, knocking another book off the shelf.

"Oh, THERE you are!" Connor exclaimed entering the room and spying Carla under the blanket, "C'mon - you need to meet Lark!"

Carla screeched, digging her claws into the sheets as Connor picked her up, "I WILL GET YOU FOR THIS, TOM CAT!"

Happy snickered as she was forcibly removed from the room.

"You should have just taken the fish," he called, keeling over laughing.

* * *

"The block is cordoned off," Natsu realized.

He and Lucy were trapped in a long line of traffic. It was unusual for this time of day. His eyes widened as he realized why the block had been cordoned off.

"Luce," Natsu said softly, squeezing her hand in the passenger seat beside him, "Dan must be arriving. That's why they've cordoned off the block."

A shadow crossed her face, "I don't like feeling like I'm under siege in my own city."

He squeezed her hand again, "I know. I don't like it either."

He frowned, looking away from his wife's line of vision so that she wouldn't see the concern in his eyes. He was more than concerned. He was uneasy.

* * *

Mira stared at Mavis with wide eyes, hardly comprehending what Mavis had just told her.

"I suppose in order for you to understand the entire story, I need to go back," Mavis sighed, "This story is not easy for me to tell. I don't know if I can do it…but I'll try."

Mira nodded, duly warned.

"I used to attend missions just like everyone else," Mavis said softly, "I met Zeref as my ward on a mission to Earthland. It started out innocently. I was sent to try to help him make sense of a tragic fire...an event that ended with his entire family being killed. His young brother survived for a short time, but he would inevitably pass away as well. I didn't know it then...but Zeref would change my entire world as I knew it."

Mira nodded, paying close attention to the story.

"Zeref was a brilliant young man," Mavis continued, "He studied at the top college and pulled off amazing marks...but he had a dark side. He studied 'controversial' things. His professors often tried to steer him in a different direction...but Zeref wouldn't listen. He was kicked out of school when they found his laboratory in an unused room down in the school basement. They discovered Natsu's body there in an aquarium-like device to keep him alive while he looked for a way to help him. Zeref left the establishment willingly, but he took his experiments with him."

Mavis paused again, putting the little bunnies on the soft cushion beside her, then petting the momma on her lap.

"When it became apparent that Natsu would die no matter what he did to keep him alive, Zeref began to experiment with ways to bridge the gap between death and life. It pained me...because as an Angel, I could heal Natsu...but the intervention was forbidden. Natsu's body was wasting away...and nothing Zeref did could change that."

Mira nodded her understanding. It saddened her to think of Natsu dying as a small child, never really knowing who he was. His life now was so full of love. She couldn't be happier about how things worked out for him eventually. Sorrow panged her heart as she contemplated his sad past – the one even he had never known about. And the brother he apparently didn't know about either.

"When Natsu finally passed away," Mavis continued, interrupting Mira's thoughts, "Zeref was distraught. He was completely inconsolable, no matter how much I tried to ease him with waves of tranquility...so I appeared to him to comfort him. We talked...became friends. I tried to convince him that his approach to solving his problems through his experiments was wrong. He was unbelievably charming. He assured me his experimental days were over and he was content to live on with my friendship. We talked and eventually laughed together...a lot...and before I knew it, we were having an affair."

Mira glanced at her, surprised that the shy, innocent Mavis had fallen in love with a human.

"I didn't realize at first that he was continuing his experiments behind my back," Mavis said softly, her embarrassment flooding her face, "I wanted to believe he had changed. He promised me. And his demeanor changed so much, that I believed he had changed. I was reassigned to another Division. However, I continued to see him. He had already noted my abilities. And he began to ask me questions about them...then he began to ask me for things. They were small favours at first. He began asking me to _transport_ him places...to listen in on different conversations...to bring back certain items that were unattainable by the average human being. Long story short, I didn't even realize how he was using my abilities until it was too late."

She paused, taking a deep breath as she contemplated the next part of her story. Mira noted the anxiety etching Mavis's face and longed to reach out to her, but Mavis waved her hand away. Mavis didn't want to lose her composure, Mira realized.

"Do you trust me?" Mavis asked slowly, completely breaking Mira's thoughts.

"You know I do," Mira confirmed.

"I can't tell you the next part," Mavis told her, "Not without breaking down. I would like to _show_ you instead through a Seeing Pool. But it's intense. Do you think you can handle it?"

Mira nodded as Mavis put the bunny onto the soft cushions of the swing.

"Come with me."

Mira followed Mavis to the edge of the pond. She closed her eyes and lifted her hands, basking in the light that shot out of the pond. A pedestal of sorts emerged slowly from the pond, spiraling as it broke the surface of the serene water. Mira wasn't sure what the base was made of. It wasn't pearl, but it also wasn't ivory. Whatever it was, the pool sat in a basin on top of a sculpted creamy white pedestal. It was one of the most beautiful things Mira had ever seen.

"Are you certain?" Mavis asked again, "This will be intense. You will see what I saw and you will feel the emotions that I felt."

Mira nodded one last time.

Mavis extended a finger, dabbing it lightly into the pool of water. As the water began to ripple, Mira closed her eyes and felt herself being washed away into another time and space.

* * *

The armoured vehicle pulled up to Fairy Tail, six armed guards (Jellal, Erik, Minerva, MacBeth, Racer, and Michelle) pouring out of the front seats. The entire block had been cordoned off by the Magnolia Police Department, allowing the 'guests' to arrive unseen.

The heavy steel doors opened, and Dan and Jackal were lead out. They were both in straight-jackets, a metal head apparatus gagging both of them from speaking. Armed guards escorted them off the truck from behind, then they were flanked from both sides.

"Dan Straight," Sting said, looking the man up and down, "I'd say it's nice to see you…but it isn't."

Rogue looked away in disgust. It was against Sting's better judgement to bring him to greet their 'guests', given the animosity Rogue still held against them for almost killing his now-wife so many years ago, but Rogue had insisted he could mind his P's and Q's.

"This way," Gajeel said gruffly, heading up the stairs of Fairy Tail.

Dan and Jackal followed obediently, both picking up on the vibes every person present exuded to them. They were not welcome there. Not by a long shot. Of course, neither man had expected they would be.

As they were lead to the first staircase, Dan turned his head, noticing a wide-eyed Kinana staring as they passed. Aries, who had never met either man, put a hand on her shoulder for support.

"That's the man who killed Juvia," Kinana whispered to Aries.

Aries nodded, keeping her hand on Kinana's shoulder until they were out of sight.

"Here's your home sweet home," Gajeel announced, opening up a metal-enforced door. Jackal was shoved into the first room. It was a room with only a toilet in one corner, a cot in another. The entire room was encased in iron. When Gajeel designed the room, it had been for the in-case of needing a holding cell or a safe room. He'd built two rooms like it. Fairy Tail never used these rooms, actually almost forgetting they existed. He wouldn't have built them at all had he known that one day they would be used for saving these miserable jerks' lives. Angel or not, Gajeel despised them for what they did to Levy.

Jellal removed the head gear from Jackal's head, tossing it to another guard. Three guards remained in front of the door in case Jackal got any funny ideas.

Jackal took a deep breath, "Ah! Magnolia air."

"Shut up," Erik said gruffly, working at the buckles on the straight jacket, "Let me make it perfectly clear…you are here for two weeks only. If the murders aren't solved by then, you'll be sent back to prison. I suggest you act like a model prisoner while you're here…because we can always send you back early."

Jackal scowled, stretching his arm muscles as the straight jacket finally came loose.

The door slammed, shutting him inside. Steel reinforcement bars sealed the door.

They moved to the next room, repeating the process of removing Dan's headgear and straight jacket. But Dan remained silent, not even making eye contact.

Once his door slammed shut as well, Gajeel let out a sigh of relief.

"You don't have to stay anymore," Jellal told him, "Crime Sorciere will guard them."

"I'm not taking any chances that they can escape," Gajeel growled, "I want it on the record that I think this is a shit idea. I'll do what it takes to prevent anything from happening to my family – Fairy Tail or otherwise, which means I will take guarding shifts as previously agreed. If they so much as stick a toe out the door, they're done. And if anything happens, I'm holding _you_ responsible."

Jellal nodded, "I understand."

"Do you?" Gajeel asked, eying his long-time friend as he stalked out of the room.

"Two weeks," Loke told Jellal and Erik sternly.

"Two weeks," Jellal and Erik both promised.

* * *

"Isn't she AWESOME, Lark?" Brielle beamed, patting Carla's head affectionately.

Lark wasn't sure. So far, the cat had spat at Brielle twice and swiped at Connor, actually managing to make contact with his hand and draw blood.

"Strawberry Floofy, huh?" Lark glanced at Aki and Hansuke, both rolling their eyes, "And what have Mom and Dad said about her?"

"They love her," Connor confirmed, "It hasn't been made official yet, but I'm pretty sure Floofy is definitely the latest Dragneel."

"She needs wet food!" Brielle cried out, running for the kitchen.

"Oh, good idea!" Connor agreed, running after her.

Floofy screeched, scrambling to get off of Lark's lap as fast as she could while the two youngest Dragneels were occupied.

Lark shook his head, thankful for the excess bandages on his shoulder. His grin was wide.

"Who would have thought I'd miss the chaos here?" he asked Aki and Aimi, making them both giggle, "It is _really_ good to be home."

* * *

Jellal gulped as Gajeel left the hallway, Loke, Mest, Rogue and Sting at his heels.

"Sounds like you've got some great friends here," Racer commented, "Best buddies, eh?"

"Gajeel was close to the situation when it first happened," Jellal stated.

MacBeth put a hand on the door, closing his eyes momentarily.

"Dan is lying on the cot," he said, "He is conflicted about being in Magnolia and he's still in a lot of turmoil over the death of his brother. But he's not planning to make an attempt to escape. Not at this point anyway."

He moved over to Jackal's door, repeating the process of his hand on the door.

"Watch him," MacBeth advised after a moment, "This one is searching the room for things he can make a bomb with."

"What is your ability?" Minerva asked, "That you can tell that through all that metal?"

"MacBeth can get inside peoples' heads," Erik told her.

"Our job here is done," Michelle announced, "I'm going to report to Heaven. I'm not staying."

Racer nodded, _transporting_ without another word.

"Will you be staying?" Jellal asked MacBeth.

MacBeth hummed as he contemplated it, his black lipstick smudging slightly, "This situation intrigues me. It's not every day that death comes from a source other than Angels of Death. I haven't decided."

"Your help would be appreciated," Erik told him, "I know you're all angry at me still. But what we did that day…a lot of lives were saved."

"I know," MacBeth said simply, "I'll observe for awhile and see how things go."

He disappeared, leaving Jellal and Erik alone in the chamber.

"And the first guarding shift begins," Jellal stated.

Erik nodded, each of them _transporting_ inside the cells to keep eyes directly on Dan and Jackal. They kept their cell phones in their hands, ready to call for backup.

Crime Sorciere would not be taking chances either.

* * *

Mavis had backtracked a little bit, letting Mira see the other side of Zeref. The images came slowly at first, flitting in front of Mira's eyes like a movie. She saw Zeref's broken form, crying on her shoulder, his brother's lifeless body behind them. She held him as he cried, pushing comfort through his body. In a flash, the scene changed and Mira could feel the attraction between Mavis and Zeref as she told him she would be there for him to help him heal...no matter how long it took. Another flash revealed them running through a meadow together, leaping over logs and laughing gleefully. Another flash showed them sitting around a campfire, sitting beside each other on a log as they stared at the fire.

 _Mavis leaned forward, her eyes searching Zeref's as he lifted her chin._

 _"What are we doing?" she asked, "I'm an Angel...you're a human."_

 _"I don't know," he whispered, "But it feels right. Do our differences matter if we connect on such a deeper level?"_

 _Their noses brushed. Mavis's hands traveled from Zeref's hips so that she cradled his face and he cradled hers._

 _"Mavis," he whispered, lowering his lips to hers._

The scene flashed again. Mira knew what had happened next based on the aching between her legs. She could feel the heat of Zeref and Mavis's bodies intertwined.

Mavis showed no emotion as the ripples of the pool drew Mira in again.

 _She followed him at a distance. He couldn't detect her, she knew, but nervousness permeated her very soul. She had known for awhile that he had been lying to her, but she desperately wanted to believe the Zeref who had laughed with her and told her stories and made love to her was the real man underneath…and not the murderous monster she suspected was closer to the truth._

 _He had locked the warehouse tightly with an iron bar to prevent anyone from getting in. Taking a deep breath, Mavis transported inside. She could feel the deep sense of foreboding anxiety overtaking her. She wasn't going to like what she saw. She paused, contemplating whether she really wanted to know, then proceeded, accepting that she had no choice._

 _The entrance to the warehouse was just what one would expect to see. Large crated boxes lined the shelves. Tool benches containing saws and vices were arranged for easy access. She crept in further, rounding the corner to what she knew would be the open room._

 _A lump formed in her throat, threatening to choke her. She thought again about turning back, but pushed herself onward. She had to know._

 _Mavis fought the urge to be sick as she entered the main laboratory, her horrifying suspicions coming true the second she took in the room around her. Large aquarium-like pods – at least few dozen of them – were suspended on giant machine-like apparatuses. Inside the fluid-filled capsules…were bodies. Dozens and dozens of bodies._

 _She felt the vile in her throat threatening to erupt as she realized a lot of the bodies weren't even whole. There was a man suspended inside one with a gaping hole in his chest. His eyes were closed as he floated. Half of one arm was missing. In another capsule, a child's blood tainted the otherwise clear fluid._

 _Mavis focused her vision on the floor, needing reprieve from the volatile scene. She ventured in further, her eyes open for Zeref. She tried not to look at the other bodies, but she felt claustrophobic as they seemingly surrounded her from all sides the further she entered the room._

 _Her heart threatened to stop as news headlines flashed across her vision about the people who had recently been disappearing in the city. Again, Mavis fought to maintain control of her gag reflex, forcing herself onward._

 _She was at the centre of the room when she found him, carefully maneuvering a syringe into an intravenous hose that lead to yet another aquarium. Inside, a young boy that couldn't be more than 3 was suspended in the fluid. She couldn't see his face, but he had decidedly pink hair. The love in Zeref's eyes as he emptied the contents of the syringe into the tube told her that this child was no test subject…he was the very being that drove Zeref to perform his experiments. He was the younger brother who had died – Natsu._

 _"Please stop," she whispered, becoming visible, "Zeref…"_

 _Zeref turned, his brow furrowing at the intrusion._

 _"What have you done?" she croaked out, barely able to find her voice, "Who are all these people?"_

 _It was a pointless question. She knew the answer. He had killed these people to become his test subjects…he had brutally taken their lives to fulfill his conquest to revive his younger brother._

 _Zeref put the syringe down, turning to her, "I have to thank you. You've been an integral part of completing my research."_

 _"No," Mavis gasped in horror, recognizing various parts that constructed the aquariums as items she had helped him obtain, "Please, no."_

 _"I've done it, Mavis," Zeref exclaimed gleefully, "I've found the missing component."_

 _He pressed a button on the gigantic machine behind him, commencing the slow crawl of the substance from the syringe up the IV line to Natsu's tiny hand._

 _"You're a monster!" she choked out, "What you're doing is immoral and wrong! I thought we'd gotten past all this!"_

 _His eyes narrowed as he took a couple steps toward her, "What's immoral about it, Mavis? People lose their loved ones every day and are forced to face an eternity of absolute solitude! This –" he gestured around him with both arms, "This can give families their loved ones back. Families will no longer watch their loved ones die of an illness they can't control! They won't have to watch the pain in their eyes as the life ebbs from them! Don't you get it? Death will be a thing of the past!"_

 _Mavis shook her head again, trying to gain the confidence that normally never alluded her, "Death exists for a reason, Zeref. It's the time when one moves on to the next stage of life! It's a natural process meant to ascend one's soul to progress to the next realm!"_

 _"What was natural about the deaths of my family?" he thundered, slamming his arm down on a nearby tray of surgical instruments. They flew off the tray to the ground._

 _"It was a fire," Mavis said softly, "And it wasn't their fault. The entire village was burned to the ground. They had no chance of escaping. As tragic as it is, that doesn't give you the right to do…this."_

 _She gestured around her at the machines and the dozens of victims inside their capsules._

 _"You took life too!" she yelled, "What makes your decision to play with life and death more important than the families of these people? Their loved ones won't be coming home either!"_

 _Mavis drew in her power, emitting a light from her body._

 _"I will destroy it!" she screamed, "And put an end to your experiments once and for all!"_

 _"NO!" Zeref shrieked, "Mavis! Stop!"_

 _Her body sent off an energy pulse, shattering the aquarium capsules around him. She screamed with the intensity of the energy it pulled from her. It was intense and decidedly painful. But it was her fault too. It was her fault that the families of Zeref's victims wouldn't know what happened to their loved ones. It was her fault that Zeref had continued unnoticed in his reprehensible experiments._

 _The aquarium bases started to explode, releasing what was left of the fluid and the bodies inside._

 _"MAVIS! STOP!" Zeref screeched, charging for her._

 _She intensified her power, causing explosions all over the warehouse. Fire erupted on all sides of the room. She could smell Zeref's flesh starting to burn as she slowly opened her eyes._

 _He didn't scream. He didn't continue trying to get her to her. Fire overtook his body as he stared directly into her eyes. The pain must have been horrendous as he fell to his knees, still maintaining the searing stare. He collapsed, face down on the cement._

 _Zeref's body now laid lifeless on the ground. Mavis transported from the inferno as the building threatened to collapse. Tears cascaded from her face as the enormity of what had just happened fully sunk in. Her body convulsed with wracks of sobs as she fell to her knees on a nearby grassy hill._

 _She could feel the presence of the Angels of Death that were arriving, noting that at least 3 restrained Zeref as they ascended to Heaven to have him face judgement. Not of all of his victims had been dead, she realized, as more Angels ascended with Zeref's victims, which only furthered her anguish._

 _Mavis threw her face into the air and let out an agonized scream, completely losing herself to her absolute grief and despair._

The Seeing Pool had gone still.

Mira was on the ground, her arms curled around herself as the intensity of what she'd just experienced. Her body was convulsing with sobs like she'd seen Mavis do in the vision. Slowly, Mavis stooped beside her, pouring her healing and comfort into her long-time friend.

"You can see why I didn't want to tell the story," Mavis said softly, "I'm not sure I could have."

Mira felt the comfort pour through her, but she still felt broken and full of despair. Mavis put through another wave of comfort, focusing to calm her down.

"He was judged swiftly and harshly...condemned to Hell for an eternity and bound there by my father...Ankhersam," Mavis whispered, "And I... voluntarily retired from Earthland missions, unable to forgive myself for the deaths of those innocent people. I opted quite purposely to serve as an Angel of Death for a period of time. Perhaps it was my way of proving to Zeref that death was essential. I don't know. But for awhile, I found solace in the job."

She paused, offering Mira a Permison fruit off a nearby tree. Mira shook her head politely, sincerely doubting her ability to enjoy any kind of treat at the moment with her stomach still churning the way it was.

"It was after Zeref had been condemned that we realized he had been successful..." Mavis murmured, taking a bite of the fruit.

"What do you mean?" Mira asked. She was holding her breath, terrified that there was more to the story yet.

"Zeref had successfully revived Natsu Dragneel," Mavis told her.

She offered part of her fruit to the black bear that had wandered next to her. He took it, grunting his thanks as he lumbered off into a nearby bush.

"But I didn't even realize that Natsu had wandered from the warehouse the night of the fire until it was too late. He was shot in a bad neighbourhood some weeks later...and he died again. I happened to be the Angel of Death that night…and I recognized him. I took him to Heaven and erased anything that could be a memory...and decided he would be raised as an Angel. But I couldn't be responsible for him. I couldn't look at him. He reminded me too much of... I didn't tell anyone of Natsu's true past. I presented him as an orphan, found shot for being in the wrong neighbourhood at the wrong time."

Mira didn't know how to react. Mavis had a straight face, but she was clearly straining to keep it that way. She'd always known Mavis had a turbulent past, but she realized she didn't know the half of it...and she _still_ didn't.

"Natsu..." Mira whispered.

Mavis took a deep breath, seemingly needing to recompose herself as well.

"So that's how Natsu came to Heaven with no memories," Mira said. She felt calmer now. Mavis's healing had been effective.

Mavis nodded, "I couldn't look at him. I was disgusted with myself. So, I left him at the orphanage and had nothing to do with him for years."

Mira nodded, "That explains a lot...but how does this tie in to Larcade?"

Mavis glanced at Mira for the first time in several minutes, taking a deep breath. She was about to admit something to Mira that she and Layla had both sworn they'd never speak about again. It was both their secret and their shame. Still, she knew it was necessary to tell Mira if the Fairy Tail Earthland Division had any hope of understanding where Larcade had come from and the ultimate truth of why Larcade could see Angels.

"I would like to use the Seeing Pool again to explain about Larcade," Mavis stated, obviously asking Mira's permission. Her emotions were still in turmoil from what she'd just experienced, "Can you handle it?"

Mira made eye contact with Mavis, her eyes reflecting her determination to go through with the next part of the story, no matter how painful it was.

Mavis reached out with her index finger.

"Then let's begin."

* * *

Lark lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he contemplated the day. Natsu, Lucy and his siblings had gone overboard welcoming him home. It had been an enjoyable dinner. Lucy made sure to make items that were easy to eat with one hand. Afterward, the entire family crowded into the living room, Lark being given the honorary spot on the comfortable part of the couch, to watch a movie together.

"Wendy?" he called, "Are you there?"

He waited, watching for her to appear to him...feeling for the brush of comfort that sometimes flooded his presence.

Nothing happened.

He sighed, truly wishing she'd made herself known to him again. He was beginning to get the impression she wasn't _supposed_ to actually appear to him. But he loved knowing that she knew that he knew that she was there. And he _really_ looked forward to seeing her again.

* * *

 _ **Please leave a review! I'm really interested in knowing your opinions of what happened this chapter because it was admittedly tough to write!**_

 _ **Next Chapter is Lark's backstory! I broke up the backstories a bit...since it's a lot of information to absorb ;D**_

 _ **Next chapter will be posted by Saturday at the earliest...honestly.**_


	13. Chapter 13

Mavis's index finger brushed the surface of the Seeing Pool, the ripple immediately ripping Mira away from the current timeline. Mira braced herself for the inevitable onslaught of emotion that was sure to follow. But it was necessary. She needed to know Larcade's secrets.

* * *

 _A tear streamed down Layla's face as she watched Natsu and Lucy arrive at the new home they'd bought together. It was a pretty house with a large bay window and a two-car garage. The yard was large and backed onto the edges of a forest. Her daughter, she knew, would be very happy there._

 _Natsu rounded the car to open the door for Lucy, stopping to hug her tightly. Lucy's face was beaming as Natsu took her hand and lead her to the door inside the garage. He paused, handing her the key and stepping back so that she could open the door. Lucy opened it, pushing it ceremoniously wide, then shrieked with laughter as Natsu threw her up over his shoulder and zipped her over the threshold._

" _They're happy," Mavis sighed with a satisfied grin on her face, "It was the right thing to do, even if they had to give up their memories."_

 _Layla nodded, another tear escaping her eye, "I can't believe it's been a year already. They're so in love. I wish I'd been able to attend their wedding."_

" _We weren't even in Fiore at that time," Mavis acknowledged, "but you have to admit, we had a lot of fun traveling Earthland, helping everyone we came across. We both learned a lot and it's going to make us better Angels now that we can both let go of the past."_

 _She paused, glancing at the expression on Layla's face._

" _You're wishing Jude could see her this happy," Mavis sighed, a frown crossing her pretty face._

 _Layla was quiet for a moment. There was no point in trying to hide emotions from Mavis. Mavis could read minds and see inside emotions._

" _I will always wonder," Layla said slowly, choosing her words, "If Jude accepted any of his behaviour was wrong. I wonder if he knows how he made Lucy suffer."_

" _And you," Mavis reminded her, "He was awful to you. I know you realize that…that's what our journey was all about: realizing the things that were done to us and moving on from them…but I still sense that you can't let him go. I still sense your anger and frustration and the fact that you can't stop loving him."_

 _Layla didn't respond to her since Mavis already knew she was right._

" _I feel like that sometimes too," Mavis admitted, making Layla's mouth drop open in shock._

 _Layla smiled at her gently. The two women had been around each other for a long time now. Shocked at her admission or not, Layla would listen to Mavis if she needed to talk._

" _I wonder if he knows what he did was wrong," Mavis said softly, "And if he hurts for the lives he took…or maybe if he misses me and wonders what could have been. What he did was wrong and there's no way we can be together…but I guess part of me is wondering if he would have been that bad if I didn't appear to him to comfort him that night. Maybe he would have given up his experiments and wouldn't have…done what he did. I enabled him...I..."_

" _Oh Mavis," Layla whispered, "That's a lot of guilt to carry around."_

" _Same amount you're carrying," Mavis shot back, "You're wondering if you could have done anything differently that could have kept Jude on the straight and narrow."_

 _Again, Layla sighed. There was no point in denying it. Sometimes Mavis's abilities were annoyingly accurate._

" _I have an idea," Mavis said, her eyes brightening._

 _Layla felt a lump form in her throat. She knew the gleam in Mavis's eyes well…it meant she was about to suggest something outrageous._

" _Let's go confront them," Mavis suggested, her eyes sparkling._

" _We can't do that!" Layla exclaimed, "They're locked in Hell. There's no way in or out – that's the purpose of purgatory – eternal damnation and separation from everything forever!"_

 _Mavis cocked her head, "Daughter of God, remember? It can be arranged. C'mon, Layla! It would be like therapy!"_

 _Layla shook her head emphatically, "It's a bad idea! I don't even think it would solve things for us! All it would do is drum up bad memories!"_

 _Mavis's gleam was getting brighter as she turned, heading back to the car._

" _Mavis!" Layla yelled at her back, breaking out into a run to catch up to her, "We are NOT DOING THAT!"_

* * *

Dan sat down in front of the tray that had been brought to him for breakfast. He was actually really impressed with the spread compared to his 2 eggos, 2 slices of bacon he usually got at the prison. Here, he was given a bowl of cereal and a whole-wheat bagel with butter. The bagel was topped with an egg and a slice of ham. There was a bowl of fruit on the side.

"Don't look so pleased with yourself," Gajeel grunted through the bars of the metal prison cell, "It was cooked downstairs because it's what the rest of us are having for breakfast. You won't always get such a nice breakfast. You sure as hell don't deserve it."

Dan glanced at the large man that was currently at the end of his 'shift', watching Dan and Jackal, "You seem to have a large chip on your shoulder. Good morning to you too."

"You threatened my _wife_ ," Gajeel hissed, "You aren't welcome here. Don't get comfortable. First chance we get, we're shipping you back to prison where you belong."

"Your wife…would that be Levy?" Dan asked.

Gajeel glared at him.

"I figured so," Dan said, taking a large bite of his bagel, "None of the little girls we strapped bombs to would go for a boorish oaf like you."

Gajeel refused to let Dan get under his skin, "And you never had a shot in hell with Lucy. Shut the hell up, Dan. Your commentaries aren't necessary."

Dan tried not to smile as Gajeel slammed the large metal partition shut, sealing Dan away from his view.

* * *

"Good morning, Lark!" Lucy sing-songed as the door flew open.

Lark was buried under his blankets, Plue asleep beside him on the bed. As soon as Lucy entered the room, Plue disappeared. Lark attempted to adjust his pillows behind his back so that he could sit up. It was a lot easier said than done, only having one arm to work with. To boot, the bruises and smaller abrasions all of his body were beginning to make their presence known now that his arm was on the mend and he was off of his hospital pain killers.

"Don't," Lucy chided, "I'll help you."

She put the tray containing Lark's breakfast down on his bedside table, helping him into a sitting position, then fluffed his pillows for him, adding an extra to aid the sitting up position.

"Pills first," Lucy instructed, passing him his pain medication and a glass of water, "We want to stay ahead of the pain."

"Thank you," Lark sighed as he sunk back into the much more comfortable set-up, taking the pills and swallowing them.

Lucy pulled the legs on the TV tray and plunked it down overtop of Lark's lap.

"I figured toast would be easy for you to eat," she told him, "so it's toast and cut up pancakes and bacon."

He smiled appreciatively, then dove into his food, only pausing to wash it down with orange juice once in awhile. She watched him, not moving a muscle.

"It's so good," Lark told her, "I have to say…hospital food was really starting to make my taste buds die."

She laughed, "Yeah, well…hopefully, you won't need to taste hospital food again for a very long time."

He paused, putting his toast down for a moment.

"I really am sorry," he said softly.

She smiled at him, "I know."

"It's quiet right now!" Lark remarked, going back to his breakfast, "I don't think I heard the kids get up for school."

Lucy laughed, "They were being ultra quiet for you. Your dad is checking in at the station and the others have headed off to school."

"What about you?" Lark asked, "Aren't you going to work?"

A shadow crossed Lucy's face as she contemplated how to answer his question. There was no sense in alarming him to the 'other' situation in her life. None of the kids knew the details of what she'd been through in the past. There was no point in telling them now. It was the past. And it needed to stay buried.

"No," she said finally, "I've taken some time off to help you recover."

She took the tray from him as he finished his food.

"It was really good – thank you," Lark said.

Lucy nodded, "Rest for a bit. You can move out to the couch if you want to. Cana will be by around lunch."

She left the room, closing the door to give him a bit of privacy on her way.

"Hear that, Wendy?" Lark asked out loud after a minute or two, "I might need some help, if you don't mind. I'm going to try to confide in Cana…but I really don't know if I can do it on my own."

He settled back against the pillows, listening and watching for a sign of response. Once again, he went unanswered.

* * *

The Dragneel teenagers arrived at the school at the same time as Daisuke and Sora. They lumped into a group, heading for the front stairs.

"Hey!" Yuka called, "If it's not the Happy Hungry gang! Still missing your fearless leader, I see!"

Daisuke put himself in the middle of the group between Aki and Aimi, urging them onward, "Ignore him."

"So, the rumour is Lark tried to skate the dam," Toby piped up, "How stupid is he?"

"Shut up, Toby!" Haru warned.

Daisuke put a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. Haru took a deep breath, falling silent as Daisuke continued to escort them inside the school.

Lark's fangirls lined the stairs, their saddened expressions confirming they too had heard the latest rumours.

"Is he okay?" Kimberley asked Sora as she passed.

"He's fine," Sora muttered back, still moving forward.

The fangirls sighed with relief.

"Such a loser," Yuka muttered under his breath.

Daisuke cringed, but kept walking.

"Hey Daisuke," Toby chided, "You weren't a very good lap dog or you would've stopped him."

Daisuke took a deep breath, willing them to get lost.

"He didn't even _try_ to stop him!" Yuka laughed, "He's too busy loving Lark's leftovers! Tell me, Sora…which one is better? What line do I join to get a taste of you?"

Daisuke froze, glancing down at his hand holding Sora's protectively. He held Aki's on the other side. He shook off both hands, turning to face Yuka and Toby.

"Don't," Sora warned him, "They aren't worth it."

Yuka's eyes lit up, finally drawing a reaction from the abnormally-quiet Daisuke.

"Lark doesn't even know she's alive," Yuka continued, "It's obvious to everyone in the whole school…Sora follows Lark like a lost puppy."

Aki grabbed Sora's shoulders, pulling her back beside her. She reached to either side, gathering Haru and Aimi back too.

"And what _would_ he think if he knew his best lap dog was holding the puppy's hand behind his back?" Toby asked, grinning as Daisuke's scowl grew dangerously dark, "And yet holding his little sister's hand on the other side?"

Daisuke let out a low growl, balling his fist.

"It's called being _supportive_!" Aki yelled, getting in front of Daisuke, hoping to prevent any reaction, "It's what decent human beings do to protect the people they care about! Not that you'd understand that."

The boys completely ignored her, staring each other down. Haru pushed past Aimi, standing beside Daisuke with a scowl.

"C'mon Cheney," Yuka dared him, "Throw the first punch."

Daisuke made a move to go around Aki, but she remained firm in her stance, glaring both Toby and Yuka in their eyes. The school grounds had come to a stand still, watching the confrontation with wide eyes.

Haru handed Aimi his book bag, ready to jump in if necessary.

"Don't!" Sora told Daisuke, "Don't let them get to you."

Daisuke took another deep breath, then nodded, un-balling his fists.

The entire group moved toward the school doors again, not looking back as they entered the school, but they could hear Yuka and Toby laughing well after the doors shut behind them.

* * *

Carla poked her head out from underneath Mieske's bed, somewhat satisfied that the kids had finally gone to school and it would be safe to come out. Unlike yesterday, Lucy and the oldest Dragneel brat, Larcade, would be home all day today. So, while she would find time for a nap _some_ where, she doubted it would be on the top of that comfortable Lazy Boy she liked so much since it was in plain sight. She would prefer to stay out of sight if at all possible.

"Whatcha doin', Floofy?" Happy asked from behind her.

Carla jumped probably 10 feet high, landing on her feet with all her hair standing on end.

"Don't scare me like that, Tom-Cat!" she scolded.

"Then don't sneak around," Happy cocked his head, "Who are you hiding from, anyway?"

She snorted, padding out of Mieske's room, "Right now? _You! AND DON'T CALL ME FLOOFY!"_

Happy watched her go, her tail high in the air.

"Mavis," Happy muttered under his breath, "She's so beautiful when she wants to kill me."

* * *

" _This is a bad idea," Layla muttered to herself as she followed Mavis through the narrow corridors._

 _They had opened a door where Mavis knew there would be no prying eyes. Already, Hell was freaking Layla out. The temperature was astronomically hot. And it stank. She could smell burning flesh amongst putrid sulfur. But perhaps the worst part were the screams. Layla didn't want to know who or what was screaming…or what hideous tortures they endured to cause them to scream like that._

" _How will we even find them?" Layla whispered. She wasn't sure why she was whispering. They'd been walking for 15 minutes and not been approached by…or even seen…a single soul._

" _Hell is probably the only place that exists that even I can't see what's around the corner," Mavis replied, "And you were right – it's sealed. There's no way out unless I provide it. However, I know the whereabouts of both cells. Father keeps a map. Should be right up here."_

 _They turned a corner. The corridor widened into a cavern. There was a lake of molten lava covering much of the bottom of the cavern, but wide ledges made it kind of like a room. Steam rose from the lava, making it difficult to see the other side, but there was definitely a structure of some sorts there._

" _What the…" Mavis's voice trailed off for a moment, "I don't recognize this. Keep walking. Whatever you do, keep your eyes on the path."_

 _Layla couldn't reply. She was terrified as she followed Mavis along the narrow path. There were jail cells embedded into the cavern walls as far as the eye could see. Blood oozed down the sides of the cavern walls, bubbling as it melted against the rock. The screaming was louder, piercing Layla's ears. She didn't know when she started crying, fervently praying for the damned souls they were passing._

 _Despite Mavis's warning to keep her eyes straight ahead, Layla's eyes wandered to the inside of a cell they were passing. The screaming was particularly horrendous. She started hyperventilating, fighting the urge to throw up as she realized a charcoaled soul was being eaten by an enormous dog-like creature. The creature had no skin, but it's sinewy muscles were visible as well as the blood that oozed through its' veins. It had two heads with gnarled teeth that Layla could only guess were about 7 inches long. It was pulling out the corpse's innards in a seemingly endless stream._

 _Layla began to back up, terrified. Her foot slipped and she would have fallen into the lava lake had Mavis not been paying attention._

" _They can't see us," Mavis assured Layla as they began to walk forward again, clasping each other's hands tightly. They were almost by the barred jail rooms, "We're invisible. Just DON'T look inside the cells."_

" _Nobody deserves this," Layla whispered. She shuddered, wondering what horrible fate Jude had been assigned to._

" _The man you saw," Mavis whispered back, "He tortured animals. The man beside him…you should be thankful you didn't see him. He was a rapist."_

 _Layla shuddered again, "That's enough, Mavis. I want to go home."_

 _Mavis stiffened, Layla bonking into her backside._

" _No…" Mavis shook her head in alarm as she started to back up, "Nooooo…"_

 _Layla was already terrified. The tone in Mavis's voice mortified her._

" _What is it?" Layla asked, the petrified tone in her voice making her squeak._

 _Mavis's eyes were wide and she wasn't responding to Layla's calls. She looked ahead, as terrified as she was, to see what could make Mavis stop in her tracks._

 _Chambers. Big, gaudy, metal chambers. There was more than one, but only a couple had lights emanating from them. Layla drew the conclusion that perhaps they were the only active ones. But whatever was inside would be sweltering. Hell was already blazing. Add being encased in metal, and the temperature would be unbearable._

* * *

"Pass the tray through the bars," Loke told Dan, "No funny shit. I'm not in the mood."

Dan obediently turned the tray so that it would fit through the trays. Loke was backed up, but close enough to take the tray, glaring at Dan as he went to close the cell off again.

"Can I have a magazine or something?" Dan asked.

Loke snorted, "We aren't here to provide entertainment for you. Pick your nose or something."

The upper cell door slammed to the ground, cutting Dan's contact to the outside world.

Dan chuckled to himself. Magnolia was bending over _backwards_ to welcome him! The ironic part was, he was _still_ being treated better than he'd ever been treated in prison.

His thoughts trailed over to Samuel. The Guards had refused to let him take his carving from his brother with him to Magnolia. Dan was still livid about that. There was no reason to deny him that one, simple request. He'd just lost his brother. He almost lost his mother. Was it really that necessary to treat him like less than a human being?

His mind wandered to Lucy. She was somewhere here in this city. She was so close... If only he could see her...

* * *

Lucy removed the bandage from Lark's forehead, cringing as she surveyed the damage there for the first time.

"Is it that bad?" Lark asked.

"It's not great," Lucy muttered, applying the saline/antibiotic mixture that the hospital had sent home to cleanse out the wound.

"Can I see?" Lark asked.

She paused, "It's still healing. Maybe you should wait a week or two."

"Please?" Lark asked again.

Sighing, she disappeared out to the bathroom, bringing in Aki's hand mirror. She paused again before handing it to him.

Right away, Lark could see why Wendy was sure it would scar. It was a huge criss-cross wound, 3 x 1 inches across, 3 x 1 inches vertically, stitched together by at least 50 stitches. It was oddly symmetrical, Lark noticed. Being relatively new, the wound protruded from his head almost an inch, giving it a Frankenstein appearance. Clear fluid oozed from the areas that were scabbing. It was so bruised, it was almost black.

"Gross," Lark commented, passing Lucy the mirror back.

Lucy nodded, "But still a better trade-off than what could have happened. They think you hit a rock on the way down. It split your forehead wide open."

"No wonder I had such a headache," Lark groaned as Lucy rebandaged it. Lucy was decidedly more gentle than Dr. Porlyusica.

Lucy went to work, putting topical antibiotic on the other flesh wounds. She shook her head and it occured her just how much road rash her son had actually sustained. Lark remained quiet, trying not to cringe as she dabbed at him.

"Cana will be here soon," Lucy reminded him as she finished up, "You need a fresh change of clothes and you need a sponge bath. Try not to wipe off the cream though. I've already sterilized and cleaned the wounds."

Lark's face paled. He hadn't thought about that. In the hospital, nurses had helped with the daily task of freshening up. It was a nasty thought to think that task would now fall to Lucy. That was just plain _awkward._

"Do you think you can do it?" she asked a moment later when she brought in the basin of water.

He nodded slowly, absolutely _not_ convinced he could do with one hand. But it was just too weird to ask Lucy to do it.

"Okay," she smiled gently, "I'll leave you to it then."

She closed the door.

Lark picked up the cloth, glancing around the room.

"No peeking, Wendy!" he called out teasingly.

He ran the cloth around his face, closing his eyes as the absolute pleasure of the warm cloth enveloped his face. Satisfied his face was cleaner, he worked down the neck area before deciding to wring out the cloth. Almost immediately, he dropped it in the water.

"Well, shit," he muttered, "This is going to be harder than I thought."

In the _shadows_ of the room, Wendy gulped. She was blushing and _extremely thankful_ that no other Angels were around to watch. Somehow Lark had managed to wring the cloth out enough that he could continue. He ran the cloth over his sculpted legs before awkwardly trying to work on his chest.

She shook her head, turning the other way. There was no way that sponge bath was accomplishing much. As bad as she felt, there wasn't much she could do about it. It was inappropriate to watch. He needed to handle this on his own.

* * *

Sora was frustrated when she sat down with Aki at the picnic table outside. The day was becoming increasingly annoying with Toby and Yuka constantly jabbing comments at them. The two girls had escaped outside to the sanctuary of a usually quiet corner of the campus.

"They're pushing Daisuke," Sora told Aki, unpacking her sandwich, "They tripped Haru in the hall right in front of him today...ironically, also in front of a teacher who did nothing."

Aki nodded, spooning some of her soup into her mouth, "So far he's held it together though."

Sora sighed, "I wish they'd back off. Daisuke is cool-headed, but they're going to get a reaction one of these times."

"Undoubtedly. And I might help him kick their asses. Where is he, anyway?" Aki asked.

"Basketball," Sora replied.

Aki nodded.

Both girls fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"How was Lark last night?" Sora asked.

"He's pretty sore," Aki replied, "but he watched a movie last night with the family. If it weren't for the bandages and bruises, it was almost like old times."

"That's good."

Aki's glance fell to a young girl, wandering the sidewalk with a confused look on her face. She looked toward the main doors, then to the side doors and sighed heavily. Aki recognized her, but couldn't place where from.

"Are you lost?" Aki called out.

The young girl managed a meek smile, cocking her head inquisitively as she surveyed the school grounds again, "This campus is huge. I need to find English in room 304. It's not in the other building."

"That's my next class too. I can take you there after lunch," Sora offered, "Why don't you sit with us for a few minutes? Are you new here?"

The girl nodded, offering a polite smile as she took a seat at the table, "I am. I just moved to Magnolia."

The girl shook Aki's hand.

She turned to Sora, shaking her hand as well.

Aki smiled gently, "I'm Aki. And this is my friend, Sora."

"Pleased to meet you," the girl said as she reached into her own backpack for her own lunch. She paused to smile at her new potential friends, "I'm Mary Hughes."

* * *

"Tuna!" Happy announced, approaching Carla in Hansuke's bedroom, "No cat or Exceed can resist Tuna!"

He held it out to her, a proud smile on his face. There was no way she'd turn him away this time. Tuna was an all-time favourite of _every_ cat…right?

She sniffed the air, glaring at him.

"What part of 'I want to nap while the kids are at school' do you not understand, Tom-Cat?" she snarled, "And why do you have to constantly yak my ear off? We are not partners – _leave me alone!"_

Happy was undeterred, sitting beside her and ripping the tuna fillet in half. He held out one half, stuffing his face with the other half, "It's weally good…"

She ignored him, instead licking her paw.

"Whatever," Happy huffed, eating her half too, "You have no idea what you're missing."

She rolled her eyes, getting up to leave the room. His breath stank of fish. There had to be a place _somewhere_ in the house where she wouldn't have put up with him.

"Where are you going?" Happy asked, still chewing on his fish.

He swallowed quickly, then hurried out the door after her.

* * *

" _We have to see what's in the chambers," Mavis decided bravely, starting to edge forward._

 _They passed other chambers, their arms intertwined. Mavis would look in each window, her face getting paler and paler as they went on toward the chambers with the lights, but Layla purposely avoided looking inside. She didn't want to know._

 _Mavis took a deep breath as they finally reached the first lit chamber, willing herself not to shake as she peered inside the metal frame. She closed her eyes, begging herself to be brave. She already had to report this to Heaven. She might as well know the details of what was really going on._

 _Layla felt Mavis relax suddenly as she finally peered into the chamber window._

" _What is it?" Layla asked. Part of her didn't want to know._

" _A baby," Mavis said in wonder._

" _A baby? Here?" Layla asked incredulously._

 _Mavis nodded, her hand on the chamber door handle._

" _Wait!" Layla grabbed her arm, "What if it's a trap?"_

" _Nobody would set a trap in hell," Mavis argued._

 _Layla nodded, releasing Mavis's hand. The door hissed open with a rush of frozen vapor. Layla felt a chill run down her back as the force of the frozen air blew cold all over her. It was a mixed emotion she had right then…relief from the heat of Hell, yet it was too cold to stand there long._

 _But any thoughts of being terrified disappeared completely as Mavis pulled the close-to-newborn child out of the chamber. His hair was thick and blonde. His big dark eyes shone as he opened them and cooed at the women. Both women unintentionally swooned. He was a beautiful baby._

 _Mavis removed her skirt's bottom layer, swaddling the sweet baby in it. He was frozen. They needed to warm him up…which would not take long, given their location._

" _He's adorable!" Layla gasped._

 _The baby yawned, then looked at Mavis directly in her eyes. She was mesmerized by his gaze. Layla wandered over to the next chamber, now curious if another baby lay in the remaining lit chamber._

" _His name is Larcade," a male voice said._

 _Immediately Layla and Mavis went back to back, searching the room for the owner of the ominous voice. Mavis held the baby close to her body, shielding him from whatever threat might be coming._

 _A tall man stepped out into the clearing. His hair was dark and slightly tousled. He wore a long, black robe that hung to his feet._

" _Hello Mavis," he said sweetly, giving her a little smile, "It's been a long time."_

* * *

Sting tapped his pencil on the podium, waiting for the officers to calm down. Briefing had been put off earlier in the day due to a 4 car accident on the highway that needed to be attended to first and foremost.

"Okay! Let's get started, shall we?" Sting called out, bringing the officers to order.

They quietened down, taking their seats and facing the front of the room.

"First of all," Rogue began, gesturing to the back of the room where Natsu and Romeo had just sat down, "Let's welcome Natsu back! He's back on active duty as of tomorrow now that the danger has passed with his son, Lark!"

Some of the officers clapped politely while others slapped Natsu on the back. Indeed, the police department had not been complete without his presence.

"And I cannot think of a better way to welcome him home than to present a short video," Sting continued, "for _all_ of our viewing pleasure."

He stood back as the room darkened, edging to the other side of the room - _away from Rogue and Natsu_. Both Natsu and Rogue went white as they recognized the beat of the music overtaking the entire room.

"Sting – what the fuck!" Rogue yelled.

The room broke out into boisterous laughter as the projector screen came down from the ceiling, a certain video playing for the whole department to see.

"Don't blame me," Sting threw his hands up in the air as Rogue and Natsu danced on the screen in their coconut bras, "I've been sitting on this thing for almost a whole week!"

 _Bad Boys_

 _Bad Boys_

Both Natsu and Rogue's faces flushed. Both had forgotten about the video. Both knew Sting was just trying to lighten what had been some extremely dark days. But both knew they would never live this down. And both were _definitely_ going to kill Sting.

"Welcome back!" Sting yelled, dodging Rogue as Natsu closed in from the other side.

* * *

"I'll be back in an hour or so," Lucy told Lark and Cana as she grabbed her purse, "Have fun."

Cana and Lark waited for the door to close behind her before Cana moved from the Lazy Boy to the couch to sit with Lark.

"How's it going?" she asked.

Lark shrugged, "Good so far. But I've only been home for 24 hours."

"You know you're gonna have some nasty scars," Cana commented.

Lark shrugged.

"The ladies like scars," Cana grinned, "They'll make you look all bad-ass."

"Says the woman who's sleeping with a boxer," Lark huffed, "Isn't that what you said you see in him? His sexy scars? He must have a million of them? Sick lady. Are you even still with him?"

"Are you mocking me?" Cana feigned being hurt.

Cana laughed, thinking about the brash man she called her boyfriend. Maybe he was rough around the edges, but he was good to her...in many, many, many ways.

Cana waved her hand, "Bacchus is Bacchus. He's fun. What...are you jealous?"

"Always," Lark sighed dramatically.

"And who's got Lark drooling these days?" she asked.

Lark shrugged, but she didn't miss the twinkle in his eye, "No one in particular."

She scoffed, reaching into her purse for a flask of whiskey, "Liar. C'mon Lark. You know me better than that. I can tell when you're lying. "

He rolled his eyes and zipped his mouth with his forefinger and thumb.

"You really want me to go there?" Cana asked, giving him one more chance to admit it on his own, "Because you know I can pull it out of you!"

He grinned mischievously.

"You asked for it," Cana grinned, "Okay...let's see how far I'll get this time."

Lark nodded, accepting the challenge. He willed his face to be completely emotionless.

"So Lark!" Cana said loudly, swigging her flask again, "Who's got you shakin' your bacon? Who's the newb boob? What chick do you want to dick?"

Lark contained his laughter, his eyes alight, wondering how far she'd take the challenge.

"You know you want to tell me!" she yelled, "Give up already!"

He shook his head.

"If you insist," she chided, "Who's ditch do you wanna itch? Who wants to ride your bologna pony?"

Still no reaction. She had to up the stakes.

"What bush are you hiding your sausage under? Who's eatin' your fries with a side of poo tang? Dancin' the horizontal mambo with you? Yankin' the chain?"

Lark remained emotionless, so Cana carried on.

"Who's helping you make the beast with two backs? A little 'How's your father?' Stankie on the hang-down? Are you taking ol' one-eye to the optometrist? Who's gettin' lucky with the hunky?"

Still no reaction...but he was waning. The edges of his mouth were curling.

"Who's the muffin that you're huffin'? Bumping uglies with the buglies? Knocking boots with some toots? Takin' the noodle to the poodle?"

She paused, an evil grin spreading across her face. She stood up, shaking her hips from side to side.

"Skim-ina-rinky-DINKY-!"

"OKAY! STOP! STOP!" Lark lost it, bursting out laughing so hard, he almost fell off the couch.

"You lose!" Cana grinned.

Lark was laughing so hard, tears streamed down his face, "You are so gross!"

"It's a talent," Cana admitted.

Both of them laughed until they had to wipe the tears from their eyes. This was why Lark loved Cana so much. Only she could make him laugh that hard.

Lark took deep breaths, still trying to calm himself, knowing he had to tell her something since he'd lost.

"There's a couple girls that have my eye at the moment," he admitted, "but I haven't got anyone special."

"How BORING!" Cana said in disgust, "Seriously, Lark - you have _male teenage hormones!_ What the fuck? C'mon - you can do better than that!"

"I've been laid up for a few days," Lark pointed out, "You can't work on the social life when you're confined to the house."

"Good point," Cana conceded.

Lark regarded her, still leaning forward with her ears perked as if he was about to tell her some good gossip rather than confide his deepest, darkest secrets. His sides hurt from laughing so hard.

"I'm not telling you," he insisted.

"Then spill," she said seriously, completely changing the tone of their conversation, "What's really going on with you?"

He sighed, realizing playtime was over and it was time to get serious about their session.

"I actually don't even know where to start," he said flatly.

Lark sighed, supposing she'd let him off easy yesterday. She was going to make him talk one way or another. And there was no point in avoiding it. He wanted to change. That meant he had to talk to _someone_.

"Finding a starting point is hard...so let's do a little exercise. Let's start with what makes you happy," Cana suggested, "Tell me about things or recent events that make you feel like life is good."

She brought out her cell phone, setting the timer.

"You have 60 seconds…go!"

Lark considered that, thinking of things that brought a smile to his face.

"Time's ticking," Cana reminded him, "50 seconds."

"I have good friends…and a family that loves me."

"Good," Cana encouraged him, "What else?"

"I enjoy skateboarding…and flirting with pretty girls…"

"And they love you for it. Keep going," Cana prodded, "What else?"

"I love that Brielle brought Mr. Bugsy to the hospital for me because she was worried that I wasn't sleeping…and Dr. Porlyusica doesn't think I'm as stupid as I think I am. And I kind of do okay in school...when I pay attention."

Cana snorted, "20 seconds – keep going."

"I love my room and my guitar…and this is getting harder."

"You can do it! Keep going!"

"I have a pervy Aunt that tries to make me do ridiculous exercises to prove that life isn't so bad," Lark drawled, a glint in his eyes.

She grinned, ignoring the comment, "More – what drives you forward, Lark?"

"I'm home," Lark said with finality.

Cana's cell phone beeped. The 60 seconds were up.

"Why does being home make you happy?" Cana asked gently.

Lark looked down at his fingers, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Did you think you weren't going to come back here?" Cana asked.

Lark shook his head, "I guess there was a part of me that wondered if it was a possibility."

"Do you feel that way now?" Cana asked.

Lark shook his head, "I had a good talk with Natsu. He told me he wants to make things the way it used to be and he's willing to do what it takes to make things okay again."

"What does Natsu have to do to make things okay again?" Cana asked.

Lark shrugged, "Listen to me, I guess."

"And what do you need him to listen to you about?"

Lark froze, eyeing Cana. He knew that she was clairvoyant. He knew that she consulted her cards on a regular basis and that she believed in things that some people would consider controversial. He had no doubt he could tell her his secrets and she'd believe him. The question was…what would she tell his parents? Would _they_ believe it?

He decided he would start by divulging _one_ of his secrets. The nightmares would have to wait for another day.

"Cana," he said quietly, "Do you believe in Angels?"

Cana nodded without hesitation.

"Do you remember my therapy sessions with you when I first came to live with Natsu and Lucy?" he asked slowly.

She nodded, "I was wondering if that's what was going on…you can still see them, can't you?"

Lark's eyes widened. This was what she'd been driving for – to get him to admit it out loud.

"In fact…you've always seen them."

Lark nodded slowly, unsure of how else to react.

"I believe you," she said without hesitation, "Because I know that a group of Angels have protected us for years now. Their card has recently come up again in a reading I did for the Fairy Tail girls before we broke off for our break from work, so I was wondering what was going on there. I would say that what you see is not a bad thing at all. I would actually consider it a gift."

Lark still wasn't sure how to react. He didn't know if he would describe what he could do as a gift. Cana was confident in her card reading abilities. It shouldn't be a shock that she believed him.

"Wait - all of Fairy Tail took time off?" Lark asked, "I thought it was just Lucy!"

Cana paused, choosing her answer carefully, "We're not talking about that right now. We're talking about what you see."

Lark swallowed, then nodded.

"Tell me about them," Cana suggested, "Do they talk to you?"

"There's not much to tell," Lark said, finally finding his tongue, "I see them...or traces of them. There are all sorts of Angels residing on Earthland. There's different types."

"Like what kinds?" Cana prodded.

It occurred to Lark that Cana was interested for more than just the sake of getting him to talk…she was actually interested in the answers due to her own beliefs. He took a deep breath and began to talk to her about things he'd never admitted to another human being, far surpassing anything he had admitted to Sora.

* * *

Sora waved as she headed out the school doors, "See you tomorrow!"

"Who are you talking to?" Daisuke asked, glancing around as he joined her. He would wait for Aki and the Dragneel twins outside…just in case Toby and Yuka tried to follow them home again today.

"I met a new girl today," Sora told him, "Her name is Mary. She just moved here."

"That's nice," Daisuke acknowledged, "Any problems with Toby and Yuka in math class?"

Sora shook her head, her eyes twinkling, "I was sitting with Mary. Every time they opened their mouths, she would glare at them and they'd shut up right away."

Daisuke laughed, "Awesome! She'll fit right into our group then!"

Sora nodded, "I think so. She's great. I can't wait for you to meet her."

Daisuke grinned, noting Aki and the twins coming out of the school together.

"My mother's here," Sora told them as they approached, "See you tomorrow!"

They waved at each other, breaking off onto their own paths to go home. Daisuke shook off the shiver that ran down his spine, turning to glance behind him. He was half-expecting to see Toby and Yuka there, but the spot behind him was empty. Dismissing it, he started listening to the joke that Haru was telling, following the group as they left the school grounds toward home.

* * *

Happy didn't find Carla again, opting instead to sit in on Lark and Cana's therapy session. The hour had long since expired, but the two were so engrossed in their conversation regarding Angels that neither noticed. They only halted their conversation once - when Lucy had come home. She laughed at the stares they both threw her way, understanding that she was interrupting a very deep conversation, then retreated to her room so as to not disturb them.

Lark had told her about the man he'd helped move on to Heaven. He told her about the Angels that he suspected guarded Fairy Tail. He told her about the types of Angels he suspected existed. And now he'd told her the truth about what happened with Brielle.

"I see," Cana was saying, a frown on her face, "I can understand why you're mixed up about that."

Lark nodded, "I have never felt so guilty in my life. It was all my fault."

Cana shook her had, "No. It was an accident. But I am beginning to see the pattern to your behaviour."

Cana looked up, seeing the anxiety crossing Lark's face.

"Oh, don't worry," she said blatantly, "You're not _that_ fucked up. We can work this out."

Lark chuckled, "Gee…thanks."

* * *

Natsu drove his car toward home, mechanically staring at the road as he drove.

After thoroughly depleting a fire extinguisher on Sting, both he and Rogue felt somewhat avenged for Sting's little prank. The meeting had gone back to serious at that point. They talked about the various other things going on around Magnolia, eventually getting to guard duty shifts at Fairy Tail. Natsu would report for duty in the morning, but his partner would be away for the day tomorrow since he would be taking another guarding overnight shift tonight. Romeo had also been on guarding duty the previous night as well to watch Dan and Jackal's cells. Thankfully, it had been a quiet night and both men just slept. That eased his mind quite a bit. Romeo would report for duty again tonight and tomorrow night, then take a 3-day reprieve while someone else took a few days.

He turned the corner, heading for home. Fairy Tail was on the left-hand side. He found himself staring up at the building, awed by its stature compared to other buildings in the city. It was indeed formidable.

But would it contain Dan and Jackal? Would it prevent another disaster?

Natsu couldn't stop his nerves from itching. He was antsy. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt such horrendous anxiety. Glancing up at the building, the wheels in his head wouldn't stop turning as he recanted the nights Lucy had lost sleep because of Dan's group. It angered him. Lucy's nightmare had been over for years. And yet, Dan still had the power to torture her simply by being in the same city as her...or even simply _existing._

Natsu made a decision in that moment. He was going to see Dan tomorrow. There were things he needed to tell Dan…to get them off his chest. Perhaps if he did that, he would be able to carry Lucy's burdens on his shoulders for her without his own anger getting in the way.

* * *

" _Zeref. How are you out of your cell?" Mavis demanded, backing up from him._

 _Daggers shot from Mavis's eyes as Layla realized who was standing in front of them. She had never seen Mavis so on-guard...or angry._

" _I've missed you," he stated, completely ignoring her question, "But I knew you'd come to see me. He's cute, isn't he?"_

" _How are you out of your cell?" Mavis repeated, passing the baby to Layla. Layla held the baby close to her as Mavis moved into position to protect both of them._

" _I've been out for decades," Zeref said, his voice even, "It seems that I'm doomed to be completely alone. Completely alone and immortal. Hell's guards were easy to kill. Once they were gone, I was free to continue my research. I won't be alone for long though."_

" _I don't understand – how could you overpower them?" Mavis's eyes were wide with fear._

" _I made a bargain with the underworld ruler," the man's eyes gleamed as he came closer, "And he gave me some power in exchange for reviving his sister. I needed subjects, so I started killing the guards. The more guards I killed, the more power I gained…so I killed Hades too...I severed his soul from his body."_

 _Zeref began to laugh._

 _"And a severed soul has nowhere else to go once it's already been to the pits of Hell! Never did revive his sister for him!"_

 _Mavis realized the severity of his statement. He had ended Hades' existence._

" _You haven't learned a thing being down here!" Mavis exclaimed._

" _I am not bound to Heaven's rules, Mavis. I make my own rules. Being trapped down here isn't so bad if I'm the one making the rules. Like it or not…you're looking," Mavis shook her head in disbelief as the man bowed to her with a sardonic grin, "At the new master of Hell."_

" _How?" Mavis demanded._

" _When you're assigned to Hell, you're cursed with immortality," Zeref explained, "For most, that means an eternity of being tortured and whatnot. For me, it means being freed from the confines of being human. I've always been unusually strong, Mavis. The powers of Hell are simply amplifiers to what strength I've always had."_

 _Layla was creeping back toward the path. She screamed as the entire path crumbled into the lava with a wave of the man's hand._

" _Don't be running away with my child, Layla Heartfilia," he warned._

 _Layla cringed. He knew her name._

" _Who's the baby?" Mavis asked._

" _You don't know?" Zeref started to laugh, "You don't know your own child?"_

 _Mavis's face contorted in confusion, "That's impossible."_

 _The man shook his head, "It isn't, obviously! Because there he is…a perfect cross between you and I. They've been in cryo-stasis for the past several decades. You woke him up when you removed him from the chamber. I've been waiting for you to come. I was hoping you'd find them."_

 _Mavis stared at him, dumbfounded, as he approached her, "Everything I touch dies these days. That's why I haven't actually held them. I wanted to wait until you were here."_

" _Stay away!" Mavis warned._

" _We can finally be a family. If I kill you, you'll be like me. It'll be okay for me to touch you then."_

 _Layla was looking for another way to run, but she was stupefied, watching her best friend slowly absorb her ex-lover's words. Mavis's anger boiled from her face as she made eye contact with him._

" _How, Zeref?" she demanded._

 _At the sound of his name, the prisoners of Hell screamed out even louder. The noise was deafening. Layla stood frozen to the spot. There was nowhere for her to go. The ground began to shake, creating large potholes on every side of Mavis and Layla._

" _I perfected it, Mavis," he said, the look in his eyes gleaming with pride, "I can manipulate DNA to create life. I've done it three times now. Don't you see? We can be together now…neither of us need to be alone anymore…we can rule the universe."_

 _Mavis screamed, jumping back as he went to grab her. She ran for Layla and the baby, grabbing Layla by the shoulders and running for the broken cliff. Zeref watched placidly as she used every ounce of power she had to open a door ahead of them, transporting herself, Layla and the baby out of Hell._

 _"You can't run from me, Mavis!" Zeref bellowed, laughing maniacally, "Hell won't confine me forever!"_

 _They could hear the cries of Hell intensify until the door closed firmly behind them and disappeared, their last sight of Hell revealing Zeref standing alone on the quaking ground, continuing to laugh like a madman._

* * *

Mavis touched the small pool with her finger, dissolving the instant replay of her memories. The pool was unbelievably realistic. Mira could see what Layla saw...and feel the emotion that Layla displayed. Her chest heaved with emotion and adrenaline that Mavis had not wanted to relive herself. She understood why. The despair and guilt that Mavis had felt in the past still coursed through her veins.

Mavis glanced up at Mira, looking for a reaction.

"Heaven sent the Heavenly Guard down to deal with the experiments that Zeref had been conducting," Mavis said, "They managed to wipe out the machinery..."

Her voice trailed off. Mira's eyes widened as she realized what Mavis was trying to tell her.

"But only half of the Heavenly Guard made it back alive," Mavis confirmed, "It was an anticipated slaughter. Zeref was ready for them. So many souls that will never take their places in the stars. Finally, Ankhseram went Himself to Hell and re-confined Zeref. It didn't last. Heaven knows that Zeref is not confined to his jail cell. He's broken out again. Heaven is watching closely, but my father has determined Heaven won't intervene again as long as Hell stays in conformity with the Book."

"What does that mean?" Mira asked.

"Zeref has not tried to break out of Hell himself yet," Mavis said in a low voice, "He's not waging war with Heaven. The second he shows aggression to Earthlanders and Heaven, it's game over for him. Zeref is powerful, but he can't stand against Heaven and Zeref is contained within Hell's walls."

Mira had tears running down her cheeks, "You've endured so much."

Mavis nodded listlessly, her face emotionally blank, "But no more than Natsu…or Layla…or Lucy. In any event, that is how Larcade came to live with me in Heaven. He sees Angels because he himself is half-Angel. I would have kept him with me. I love him so much...but in time, it became apparent that Zeref would not allow us to live in peace. Evidently, _he_ cannot leave Hell. But he has minions. Everywhere I went on Earthland, his demons stalked my Aura trail, trying to reclaim Larcade. He cannot come for me specifically because that would be seen as an act of war. But I made another mistake...I hid Larcade from the majority of Heaven, only letting select Angels know of his existence. Zeref knew if he could get to Larcade, I would follow. Finally, I saw no option but to give Larcade up and hide him. He does not have the Aura that I do. And if Larcade and I were separated, there is no way Zeref can track him."

"Except he does have an Aura trail like yours," Mira's eyes widened as she turned to Mavis, "Milliana…the Angel of Death that was sent for Brielle…the whole reason she didn't take Brielle was because she recognized Lark."

"Recognized him?" Mavis repeated.

Mira nodded, "She recognized Larcade as your son…because he carries the same Aura as you."

Mavis sighed deeply, "Then it's only a matter of time."

"What do we do?" Mirajane asked her, placing a hand on her Mavis's, "How can we protect him?"

Mavis shook her head, the unwanted tears edging toward the corner of her eyes. She shook them off, removing her hand from Mira's in order to maintain control.

"I need to see him for myself," she answered solemnly.

* * *

"I said I'm hungry!" Kari yelled at the nurse, "And you bring me fucking oatmeal? Disgusting!"

She threw the bowl, splatting it against the wall beside the door. It splayed all over the horrified nurse.

"Quit standing there like a useless moron!" Kari bellowed, "Go get me some real food!"

The nurse practically ran from the room, shaking her head at the guard that remained outside the door. The woman was a horrible monster. She was positively nasty.

"What are you looking at, you big ape?" Kari screamed at the security guard, "Get out of my fucking face! Leave me the fuck alone for awhile!"

The security guard glared at her, closing the door to give her some time by herself.

Incompetent. All of them. Didn't anybody realize who they were dealing with? It made her sick.

Her stomach was starting to feel better where the stab wounds were. Yesterday, they'd taken the feeding tube from her and tried her on some soft food. Hospital food was _repulsive_. She'd asked three times - _THREE TIMES_ \- for some good food from elsewhere...and they _still_ hadn't found anything edible for her to eat.

She huffed, grabbing the Glamour magazine next to her bedside and began flipping through it.

The flash of light didn't catch her attention at first. She was busy looking at a contest for an all-expenses paid trip to the Bahamas.

"Kari," a voice said, drawing her attention upward to his face.

He was tall. His dark red hair sent flashes of memory through her.

"But it's impossible," she gasped, "You died in prison."

"Come with me," he beckoned, outstretching his hand, "We can be together again."

Kari scrambled out of bed, clutching her stomach wounds as she backed up against the wall, then scrambled for the door, banging on it incessantly.

"HELP ME! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU, YOU STUPID FUCKING USELESS GUARDS! OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!"

"Kari...that's not necessary," the man said, smoothing her hair back from her face. He pressed himself into her back, hugging her from behind, "Just come with me peacefully."

She stopped banging momentarily, turning to face him with unparamounted fear in her eyes.

"You're dead," she whimpered.

"I am most certainly dead..." he agreed, kissing down her neck. Kari's body began to shake as pure terror engulfed her, "...Care to join me?"

"JOS-!" Kari screamed.

* * *

Romeo glanced at Gajeel, pacing the room again. Back and forth. Back and forth. Nothing was going to happen. Nothing had happened last night and everything so far tonight had been ridiculously quiet. He didn't understand the older man's worry.

"Sit down, would you?" Romeo asked, "You're making me really nervous."

"You _should_ be nervous," Gajeel grunted, "Don't let your guard down for a minute."

Romeo rolled his eyes, "Says the guy who keeps a bunker...just in case."

Gajeel glared at him, crossing the room again, "We're watching mass murderers, Romeo. The events that concerned them happened before you would have a really good memory of it. But I was there. I know what they're capable of."

Romeo sighed, "You're being dramatic."

Gajeel shot him a look of utter contempt, but didn't try to speak again, pacing to the other side of the room once more.

* * *

The hospital staff outside Kari's room could hear the vicious screaming for about 5 minutes before it finally stopped.

"Wonder what has her panties in a bunch _this_ time," one of the nurses muttered.

"I'm not going to find out," another nurse stated.

* * *

It would be the next morning before they found what was left of her body.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Your chapter is early again this week! I'm headed out for the weekend to my daughter's Provincials! She is part of a competition skipping team and they are headed to the Provincials to compete! There will be 15 teams from around BC competing. I'm one of the judges this year, which is a new area for me. I'm going to want to give them all great marks!**_

 _ **~Shana~**_

* * *

"Pweeeease," Lark begged, batting his long eyelashes and adorning the sweetest puppy dog look Lucy had ever seen.

She laughed, having been exposed to the puppy dog look before. Natsu was good, but _she_ was the master! She had long since overcome the powers of the puppy dog look.

"Nooooo," she repeated the word slowly for him so that he would fully comprehend her meaning, "Dr. Porlyusica said you are not to leave the house for a minimum of a week. You are therefore restricted between the couch and your bedroom! Plus, you get tired too easily. End of discussion!"

Lark pouted, settling back down onto his pillowed couch, "But I'm so bored. And my legs aren't injured…my arm won't fall off from a _little_ walk."

She smiled to herself as she turned back to making his breakfast, knowing he wasn't truly arguing with her. Lark had maintained his light-hearted attitude since the moment he'd walked in the door two days ago – and Natsu and Lucy were loving it. He went back to his snarky jokes that made the whole family laugh. He was their sweet, fun-loving little boy again.

This morning, he had even gotten up with the kids to see them off to school, making them laugh as he assumed the role of 'mother'. He passed them each their lunch individually (since he only had one arm), teasing them in a high voice, "And here's your lunch…and your lunch…and your lunch…and your lunch!"

Natsu had shaken his head, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, patting his boy on the shoulder as he left the house wordlessly.

"Cana will be by soon," Lucy reminded him, "You should go change. She's coming earlier today in case you run late again with your session."

He nodded, swinging his legs off the couch, passing Floofy who was lounging on the top of the Lazy Boy again. He reached out to pat her, then thought better of it when she already showed signs of snarling at him. What the other kids saw in her, he doubted he'd ever know.

Lark had really enjoyed his conversation with Cana yesterday. Cana already knew a lot of things that he couldn't dispel to the average person, so they'd both let loose yesterday. She wasn't surprised when he told her Angels don't have wings for day-to-day purposes. Nor did he shock her when he admitted that Plue comes around to comfort him sometimes.

Lucy brought in the basin to his bedroom.

"Let me know if you need help," she said.

"I will," he promised.

"You know…if you really want fresh air…maybe Cana could take you outside in the back yard. But don't go farther than that."

Lucy smiled at him gently before shutting the door. Lark smiled too, a little wave of love running through him for the woman that cared so much about him.

Lark glanced at the basin, laughing to himself out loud as he faced his next feat – washing with one hand, "Hey Wendy…any chance you want to help me out here?"

He nodded at the expected silence. She hadn't given him any signs for a few days now.

Wendy was one Angel Lark hadn't discussed with Cana, even when Cana had started berating him about the latest love interests in his life. Not that Wendy was a love interest. But she _was_ interesting. He hoped if she was listening to their session yesterday, she would be proud of how easily he'd talked to Cana about the Angels…leaving her name out of it. Still, he hoped that she would give him a sign soon. If it wasn't for the gut feeling he held that she hadn't gone far, he would start to believe she'd left him.

* * *

Erza was walking behind the Dragneel kids, who were merrily chatting as they walked to school. Levy walked beside her, saying something about the weather, but Erza wasn't paying attention.

"Erza!" Levy said sharply, drawing the eyes of the red-haired Angel.

"I'm sorry, Levy," Erza sighed, "My mind is elsewhere."

Levy cocked her head, "You've been spacing for a couple days now. Haven't you talked to Jellal yet?"

Erza's eyes widened in surprise, "How did you know?"

Levy sighed, "Everyone knows. You two are the furthest from subtle…"

Erza dropped her gaze back down to her feet.

"It's bothering him too," Levy told her, "Everyone could see it at the meeting."

"And yet, he still hasn't come to me!" Erza remarked angrily.

"Hasn't he?" Levy asked, "I watched you after the meeting. You told him you didn't want to discuss it."

Erza huffed, a little angry at Levy for stating something…that was completely true.

"He's stubborn," she seethed.

" _You're_ stubborn," Levy replied, a smile on her face.

Erza sighed, "Maybe."

"We can talk about this whenever you want," Levy told her, "We're almost at the school now."

Erza nodded, refocusing her attention. Wendy had mentioned that the kids were acting strange when they got home from school yesterday…and they wouldn't tell Lark about it. The decision was made that Levy and Erza would follow them to school today to see if they could figure out what was going on.

The Dragneel kids didn't even try to approach the front door of the school, opting instead to go straight to the side door. Daisuke and Sora waited at the door for them, their faces breaking out into wide smiles.

"How's Lark doing today?" Daisuke called out.

"He's a nutbar," Aimi replied, "I think the boredom is starting to get to him."

"You should come by after school," Haru offered, "He's been wondering why you haven't been by."

Daisuke nodded, "Good idea. I'll text my mother later and let her know. I think she's home again today, so I don't have to worry about being home for Megumi."

"Sora?" Aki asked, "Do you want to come too?"

Sora sighed, "I'd like to…but I'm still grounded."

"Good morning," a voice piped up.

The group paused as Mary stepped out from behind a bush next to the entrance.

"Mary!" Sora exclaimed, "You haven't met the rest of our group! That's Daisuke, Aimi and Haru. And of course, you met Aki yesterday."

Daisuke pointed at her, "It's you! From Akane!"

Mary laughed, "I KNEW I recognized you from somewhere!"

"What were you doing in the bush?" Haru asked, glancing around her at said bush.

"I dropped my English homework and the wind blew it there," Mary held up some paper.

"So you just moved here?" Daisuke asked, "What an odd coincidence!"

Mary shrugged, "My dad just got hired here in Magnolia."

"Cool!" Aimi exclaimed, "Where?"

Mary smiled, "He's an engineer at the City yards."

The others nodded.

"Lark was pretty disappointed he didn't get to catch up to you before we left Akane," Daisuke said, "I'm sure he'll be interested to know you moved here!"

Mary laughed, "Well, where is he?"

The kids glanced at each other.

"Lark had an accident," Aimi said shyly.

"He's fine," Aki added, noting the look on Mary's face, "But he'll be staying out of school for another week or so."

"I'm going to go see him after school," Daisuke added.

Mary nodded, offering a sympathetic smile to the sisters and brother of Larcade Dragneel. The bell rang, signaling the end of the discussion. The group bolted up the stairs, Mary following behind.

* * *

Jellal yawned, sighing heavily as he stretched his legs.

"You should take a break," Minerva suggested, "Maybe go talk to Erza. I don't think you've left this room since Dan and Jackal arrived yesterday."

Erik nodded his approval. He had taken a walk to check on the police station earlier. And he'd taken another walk to check on the employees downstairs, just for the change of scenery. Jellal hadn't moved.

"I _can't_ take a break," Jellal sighed, "This is my mess. I'm the one who brought them here. You, Erik and Gajeel have all taken shifts and that's been helpful. But I am responsible for watching them."

Minerva shook her head, "You know, that's what's gotten you into trouble with Erza. You need to learn to let others help you shoulder the burden. In case you've forgotten, Erik and I are responsible for bringing Jackal and Dan to Magnolia too. We're a team."

He nodded, "Duly noted."

"And you haven't slept in more than 24 hours," Minerva stated, "I will stay. Go. Talk to Erza and have a nap at home."

Jellal nodded slowly. Maybe a nap would be okay. The Angels had an attic set up for sleeping at Gajeel and Levy's place. Any humans downstairs wouldn't hear them anyway, since they remained in the _shadows_ and wouldn't make any noise. Perhaps it was what he needed. But what he needed _more_ was to make up with Erza.

"Thank you," he said.

"I'll go too," Erik piped up, "I want to check in at the police station and make sure everything is okay with Sting and Rogue. We haven't checked in with them since yesterday. You'll be okay, Minerva?"

Minerva nodded, "Loke and Mest are there this afternoon. Gajeel and Romeo will be back tonight. Take a few hours. Both of you."

Nodding to her gratefully, both Erik and Jellal departed. Jellal wasn't sure about the nap, but he was definitely going to search out Erza.

* * *

Happy found Carla curled up in the clean basket in the laundry room, giggling to himself as he realized how pretty she was when she was sleeping.

"Floooooofy," he called gently, "I brought you some halibut!"

She didn't open her eyes…or give any indication that she'd heard him at all.

"FLOOOOOFY!" he called louder, "It's really yummy!"

"I don't want halibut," she murmured, still not opening her eyes, "And don't call me Floofy."

There was a lot less venom in her tone today. Happy knew she was probably tired. The kids had played non-stop with her last night after getting home from school. Connor brought out the laser light, making her run from end to end in the living room, trying to catch the little red dot. Carla honestly couldn't figure out why any self-respecting animal would play such a game, but she indulged him since looking after the children was her job.

When Connor tired of playing with her, Brielle swooped in, carting Carla off to her room to dress her up in doll clothing. Again, Carla forced herself to oblige, but when she escaped a half hour later and Mieske told Brielle to leave her alone, she seriously could have kissed him. AAAAAAND then Aki picked her up and sat her on her lap and pet her for an hour. There was no peace at night. Carla found her naps during the day absolutely necessary.

"I'll leave you alone to finish your nap," Happy promised, "I just wanted to compliment you. You really did a good job last night with the kids."

Carla opened one eye.

"You kept your temper the whole time," Happy continued, giving her his best smile, "Team HapCar is going to be huge effective!"

"Team…HapCar?" Carla said slowly.

Happy nodded enthusiastically, "It's our ship name! Either that or maybe we could be HapLa or Carpy! OH CARPY!"

She placed her head back onto her paws, closing her eyes again. Leave it to him to find a team name that had to do with fish. There was seriously no point in fighting it.

"I'll let you nap," Happy promised again, placing the halibut at the base of the laundry basket.

He backed out of the laundry room, smiling gently at her, then went to go see what Lark was doing.

Carla opened her eyes again, peering over the edge of the laundry basket at the halibut piece he'd brought her. He annoyed her…but he was kind of sweet.

* * *

Romeo arrived at the station 5 minutes before briefing, courtesy of the fact that he'd spent another exceedingly boring night guarding the idiots from the prison. The job was boring as hell, with only another guard to keep him company. And Gajeel never had been a conversationalist. However, the job paid well, so Romeo couldn't really complain. Plus, it got him out of office paperwork for a few days. He was looking forward to his third and final shift that would take place that night. Then someone else would take over for three days and he'd have a few days off.

He paused as he entered the precinct doors. There was a flurry of activity, officers walking quickly in every direction.

"What happened?" Romeo asked Yukino as she walked by.

"Go sit down," Yukino called back, "Go straight to the briefing room. Sting will make an announcement!"

Romeo nodded, noting Natsu was already there too as he entered the room. He sat down beside him, smacking his shoulder playfully. Natsu returned the favour, but he couldn't return the smile.

The other officers that had been rushing around all filed into the briefing room. Sting and Rogue were at the front, whispering incoherently to each other.

"What happened?" Romeo asked Natsu.

"I don't know yet," Natsu told him. His brow was furrowed. Something obviously bothered him about the whole situation.

"Okay!" Sting announced, bringing the room to attention, "Aside from our regular Magnolia duties, we have something else to discuss of the utmost importance. You all know about Fairy Tail's 'guests'...we have news on the situation. And it's not good."

Romeo could feel Natsu tensing beside him. _That_ was why he was bothered. It was the same tension Romeo noticed Gajeel having the previous night. He wondered why Dan and Jackal had such an effect on the two of the toughest men he knew.

"I have a video," Sting announced, hushing the whispering that had ensued amongst the officers, "It was literally sent to us 20 minutes ago."

"Hey, you ain't gonna make us listen to Natsu and Rogue sing again, are you?" Droy asked.

The other officers burst out laughing, slapping Droy on the back.

"Actually," Sting said, the seriousness of his voice effectively halting any laughter, "I wish it was something like that."

The lights went out and the big screen dropped. Rogue hit a button on the laptop, making the video play.

It was a hospital room. A woman lay in the bed.

"That is Kari Luska, the first victim of whomever is murdering the group that held Magnolia hostage 16 years ago," Rogue said out loud, "She was stabbed four times in the stomach before a guard managed to rush her cell at the prison and scare the assailant off. That happened about 2 weeks ago. Nobody knows how the assailant got to her and nobody knows how he escaped, but she didn't die. What we're looking at now is her hospital room in Crocus last night."

Kari was screaming at the nurses. The language was unintelligible due to the poor quality of the video. Romeo strained to hear what she was trying to say.

The big burly guard left the room, shutting the door behind him. Kari grabbed a magazine and flipped through it, practically ripping the pages in her rage.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light that blinded the video camera. When the image cleared, a tall man stood in front of Kari. They were conversing, Kari trying to wave the man away. She looked upset and quite frightened, scrambling to get away from him as he advanced on her. But the next part made the entire room gasp.

The man hugged her from behind, waving his hand across the air in a cutting pattern.

The entire police department froze as Kari's body tore apart right in his arms. There was another flash of light and then the man was gone. Kari's blood was everywhere.

Rogue stopped the video, the entire department shell-shocked and unable to respond.

"What the fuck did we just watch?" Jet asked finally.

"We don't know," Sting said solemnly, "Her body was discovered this morning. Apparently, she was a real pain in the ass to deal with. Staff at the hospital assumed she was throwing another outrageous tantrum at not being treated properly and didn't open the door when she was screaming. Then, they assumed she went to sleep."

"We have speech specialists analyzing the video," Rogue said, "Ren and Hibiki of Blue Pegasus are on it."

Sting nodded. Blue Pegasus was a special division of the Fiore Special Units. They were known for their abilities to decode things. If they could hear what was being said, it could give a clue as to who the assailant was.

Romeo glanced at Natsu, noting the devoid look in his eyes.

"We are protecting the last two members of the group that is being murdered," Sting said, "We don't know if the murderers have figured out that they've been moved. Effective immediately, two heavily armed police officers will attend Fairy Tail at all times. Romeo just got off shift. I need two volunteers for right now until about 11:00 tonight…then we'll be assigning 8-hour shifts for the remainder of the two weeks."

"I'll go," Macao put his hand up.

The department fell silent. Officers glanced at each other nervously.

"Me too," Natsu put up his hand.

"Is that a good idea?" Rogue asked.

Sting regarded Natsu for a long moment, "Are you sure, Natsu?"

Natsu nodded. Romeo wondered briefly why Sting and Rogue would both question Natsu, but not Macao. Perhaps because of Dan and Lucy's history?

"Okay. Get going," Rogue said, "The rest of us have regular duty. A schedule will be worked out by this afternoon for the remainder of the Fairy Tail shifts this week."

At the back of the room, Erik frowned. They would need to step up security too. Gajeel had taken the last two nights…but perhaps it would be prudent to put an Angel inside each cell at all times. He didn't want to interrupt Jellal though. He really needed the break. He decided he would wait until the room cleared, then have a talk with Sting.

* * *

"The fresh air feels so good," Lark sighed, sinking into the lawn chair on the Dragneel porch.

Cana smiled at him, pleased to see him so happy. She sat on the lawn chair next to him, setting the two lemonades on the table, then kicked her feet up, "It was a good idea to sit outside today."

Lark nodded, trying to put his sunglasses on without disturbing his tender nose. He gave up, folding them on his lap.

"Are you still sore?" Cana asked, spiking her lemonade with some vodka she kept in her purse.

He nodded, "It's like all the smaller bruises and cuts have suddenly realized they hurt."

Cana nodded, "I can imagine. You did a great job of making sure you got dinged on all sides."

"Thanks," he muttered.

She brightened with her first sip of lemonade, noting how much better it tasted with the vodka in it, "So, great talk yesterday, right?"

He nodded, simply content to be outside. Truth be told, if they didn't talk at all, he'd be fine with it. The warm sun felt good and it was nice to breathe fresh air.

"What a beautiful day!" Cana exclaimed.

Lark nodded again, "I'm getting stir-crazy, being between the same walls all the time. I needed the change of scenery."

"I'm sure," Cana agreed, "Maybe next week, Lucy will let us go get ice cream or something."

Lark nodded, "That would be nice."

They both fell silent for a moment, Lark wondering when she was going to start up the conversation for today. But she seemed to be absorbing the sun as much as he was. It was yet another thing that he appreciated about his friendship with her. Cana rarely put pressure on him for anything. She would wait until he was ready to divulge more information.

* * *

Aimi glanced behind her nervously, finding herself walking a little faster toward the picnic table at the corner of the school yard.

She'd made a huge mistake, going alone to return a book at the library after eating lunch with Sting and Yukino's daughter, Saichi. Toby and Yuka had zeroed in on her almost instantly, cutting off the hallway she had planned to use to reconvene with her friends at the lunch room. Instead, she turned the other direction, going outdoors. She knew Sora and Aki and probably Daisuke would be at the picnic table.

Alarm coursed through her body as she realized Yuka was definitely following her. Aimi was, by nature, quiet and non-confrontational. She really wished Toby and Yuka would give up their game of bullying the Dragneel siblings just because Lark wasn't there to protect them.

 _Yuka was following her...so where in the hell was Toby?_

As if on cue, Toby jumped out in front of her, grabbing both wrists as Yuka caught up behind her, boxing her in.

"What do you want?" she spat, trying to loosen Toby's grasp on her wrists.

"Just to talk to you," Toby assured her.

"We have nothing to talk about!" she hissed.

"Careful, Yuka...the kitten has claws!" Toby laughed.

"Why are you doing this?" Aimi cried out.

Toby grabbed her chin, leaning dangerously close to her face. Aimi didn't dare move as their eyes locked.

"Lark's a dipshit," he told her, "And so are you and Haru."

"Okay...so you don't like us!" Aimi exclaimed, "Leave us alone then! We won't ever look at you again!"

Toby and Yuka both laughed.

"That's not going to make things better for us," Yuka told her.

Aimi closed her eyes, not wanting to see whatever it was they were going to do to her. One minute, they both had their hands on her. The next, she was standing in a different grassy area alone. Yuka and Toby were completely gone.

Aimi had no idea what had just happened. She glanced around the courtyard, confused and trying to control her emotions. She broke out into a run, heading straight for the picnic table she knew her sister and her friends would be.

* * *

"Wendy was right," Levy said to Erza from the _shadows,_ "They were hiding something from Lark yesterday."

Erza nodded, the anger still coursing through her veins.

She had intervened, using a trick Jellal taught her during their Crime Sorciere years. She had used _relocate,_ then whisked Aimi with her. She'd only moved her about 60 feet, but it was enough to stun them and give Aimi a chance to get to her friends.

"We'll need to watch the kids at school now too," Erza agreed.

They could see Aimi had made it to her destination, hugging Aki as she recanted what had just happened.

Toby and Yuka went in the other direction, effectively killing any further confrontation for the moment.

"What's their deal?" Levy asked angrily, "Why would they bully Aimi?"

"I don't know," Erza said in a low voice, "but maybe we should follow those boys and see if we can get some answers that way. If you follow our kids, I'll go find the boys."

Levy nodded, heading off to the picnic table.

* * *

Natsu stood outside of the Fairy Tail building, waiting for Macao to show so they could start their sudden, unexpected shift of watching Jackal and Dan.

He gulped, knowing he should call Lucy. His shift would not end until about 10:00 pm. That would buy Sting time to organize shifts for the rest of the week. But Natsu really didn't know how he was going to tell Lucy that he'd accepted the shift to watch over Dan and Jackal voluntarily. Especially because he was so adamant that she stay the hell away from the Fairy Tail building.

She wouldn't question him, he knew. He could shoot her a text and tell her that Sting needed him to stay late and she wouldn't ask questions. She trusted him with every fibre of her being. That was the point, however. They prided themselves on their honest and open relationship. They made a pact years ago to be up front with each other, even when they knew they'd make the other partner angry. If he lied to her about this, even lie by omission, he would be breaking her trust. A part of him argued she'd never know. The other part of him argued that _he would know._

Sighing, he hit the speed dial to her cell. He wouldn't be able to live with himself.

" _Hey Babe! I'm just having a coffee with Kinana while Lark is hanging out with Cana_ ," she answered, " _How's your first day back going_?"

"It's been eventful," Natsu stated, "I'm not going to be home tonight until about 10:00. Sting needs me for a special mission."

" _Okay_!" she chirped.

He could hear Kinana calling 'Hi, Natsu!' in the background, further confirming his resolve that he had to be honest about his shift. Kinana was one of the remaining employees. There was no way she wouldn't notice that Natsu was there.

"Luce…can you step away from Kinana for a sec? There's something I have to tell you."

" _Okay_ ," Lucy stated.

He could hear her get up from the table and walk to a quieter area.

" _Go ahead_ ," she told him.

Natsu gulped, once again wondering how to break this piece of news to her.

" _What is it, Natsu…are you okay?"_

"Luce…"

" _You're kind of scaring me now,_ " she told him, laughing nervously, " _It's not like you to be so cautious about telling me something."_

"You're not going to like it," Natsu warned her.

Lucy went quiet.

"I've taken a shift guarding Dan and Jackal," he told her flat out, "Something happened last night. Kari is dead. We're doubling security and everyone is expected to do their part."

It was a white lie, he reasoned. Everyone _would_ be expected to do their part. But he knew Sting would have exempted Natsu if he'd asked since he was married to Dan and Jackal's primary victim. The bottom was, there was a part of Natsu that _wanted_ to confront Dan. He needed to know for himself that Dan could not and would not hurt Lucy ever again.

"Luce?"

" _I don't know how I feel about this_ ," she told him truthfully, " _Until 10:00, you said?"_

"Yeah," Natsu confirmed, "Luce…"

" _Then I guess I'll see you when you get home,"_ Lucy interrupted.

The cell phone clicked. Natsu held the phone to his ear for a long moment before putting his cell back in his pocket. Macao was standing on the side walk, watching him.

"How long have you been there?" Natsu asked.

Macao gave him a gentle smile, "Long enough to know you shouldn't be here."

Natsu's eyes flashed defiantly, "I want to protect my family. It might be the only way to find out how real the threat is."

Macao nodded, opening the Fairy Tail front door and gesturing Natsu inside, "I understand. I was married once too. Let's go inside."

* * *

The bell had rung and the kids were returning to their classrooms. Erza and Levy reconvened near the picnic tables. Aimi had calmed down. Aki had done a good job of maintaining her cool, but she insisted that Aimi should talk to a teacher. This bullying needed to stop.

"I didn't get much from following Toby and Yuka," Erza reported, "They were onto some video game on their cell phones and they weren't talking much."

Levy nodded, "Then we should come back after school to follow our kids home."

Erza nodded back at her, "Agreed."

Jellal appeared beside them, "Erza…Gajeel said I'd find you here."

Levy and Erza exchanged glances.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

Levy smiled at Erza encouragingly, "Go. I'll stay around the school just in case and make sure I follow them home."

Erza nodded, thanking Levy with her eyes.

* * *

Romeo smiled at Evergreen sweetly, "Thanks - I'll take care of these right away."

She frowned at him, "What do you want to go to the basement for anyway, Romeo?"

"I was going anyway...so I thought I'd just make sure you didn't have something that would have to down. No sense in you making the trip if I'm going anyway," Romeo waved a hand and stalked toward the stairs before she could ask questions.

He heaved a sigh of relief once he was in the elevator. At this time of the day, the police were out making their rounds around Magnolia. Nobody should be downstairs and nobody should interrupt him. The other option was to come back at night...and he really preferred not to do that. The basement was creepy enough in the daytime.

He checked behind his shoulder before slipping the key into the lock, remembering last time, Sting had scared the ever-loving-bejabbers out of him. He was alone this time. And being that he was off-duty, hopefully no one would come looking for him.

The musty smell of the old files tickled his nose as he stared at the rows and rows of boxes in front of him.

He placed the files Evergreen had given him into the filing tray for the clerk that came in Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

"Where do I start?" he whispered to himself.

He moved to the computer, thinking of what key word he could possibly enter to get any kind of answer.

The computer had booted. He took a deep breath, entering the password he'd seen Yukino use once. The program came up and he silently muttered his thanks to the password gods that it hadn't been changed. He typed 'supernatural' into the search bar.

"4,236 supernatural cases over the past 20 years," he muttered to himself, "Who knew Magnolia is a cesspit for the unexplained? Let's see if we can narrow it down a bit."

He typed 'Lucy Heartfilia' into the search bar.

"41 results...that sounds a bit better..." Romeo clicked onto the next page to give himself a start point. It looked like most of Lucy's things were in the same section. Section 5B. He got up, glancing down the aisles for the whereabouts of 5B.

"What are you looking for?" a voice said behind Romeo.

He froze, turning slowly, as he realized he'd just been busted by the police chief himself, Rogue standing in the shadow behind him.

"You aren't supposed to be down here without specific permission," Rogue told him.

Romeo heaved out a defeated sigh, "I know."

"What's going on, then?" Sting asked.

Romeo glanced at the two faces, considering what to tell them. Honestly, both of them had been present during the entire event. He could probably get some answers directly from them.

"I'm looking for a connection," he said. There was no point in making excuses. He was caught red-handed, off-duty, in a restricted area.

"A connection for what?" Rogue asked.

"Something about this whole mess doesn't sit right," Romeo admitted, "And the initial story of what happened doesn't add up to me either. And what happened to Kari last night..."

"Whatever happened to Kari last night was unexplainable," Sting agreed, clearing the history of the search bar and shutting the computer down, "We get that."

"So what's the connection?" Romeo asked, "I don't think we're dealing with an ordinary murder case here...and I think there was more to Lucy's case than what became public knowledge."

Rogue and Sting exchanged glances.

"You can't find your answers here," Sting said firmly, "And I suggest you leave the investigations to the detectives that have been directly assigned to this case. You don't want to be any more involved in this than necessary, Romeo."

"Let's go," Rogue opened the door for him, pushing him ahead into the hallway, "We can pretend you weren't here this time. _Don't_ let us catch you down here again."

Romeo frowned at the odd conversation as he rode the elevator back up the main floor, Rogue and Sting standing behind him as if he was some criminal being brought to be booked. That was the second time Sting had discouraged him from checking into Lucy's past.

"Go home and sleep," Rogue ordered, "You have duty tonight."

Romeo nodded, "Another loooooong, booooorrring night."

"You should be thankful for that," Sting told him, "because the alternative is not something any of us want to face."

Romeo fell silent, considering Sting's words. Gajeel had said something odd like that the previous night. It was as though they _expected_ something to happen. All of the people he knew that were directly involved in the incident 16 years ago were antsy. There was definitely more to what happened then than what was written in the Police Academy training text books. And Sting – and probably Rogue and Gajeel – knew what really happened. The question was…what were they trying to hide?

* * *

Cana reached into her purse for her beloved flask. She took a long swig, swallowing with a contented, "Ahhh."

They'd remained relatively silent for about a half hour now. Cana was sensing that Lark was simply enjoying being outside. They were good enough friends that it wasn't awkward to sit silently for long periods of time. Plus, she knew if she drilled him too hard, he would become resistant to her questioning. She had something specific she wanted to know today.

After pouring the remnants of the flask into her lemonade, Lark watched her put the flask back into her purse, then turn to him.

"We have made progress in the last couple days, Lark," she told him, "I like where our sessions are leading us."

Lark nodded, agreeing so far, therapy had proven to be not-so-bad.

"So, let's move on to the darker stuff," Cana suggested.

Lark glanced around nervously, suddenly very tense, "What dark stuff?"

"I did a reading on you this morning," Cana confided, "The cards say that you're being truthful about part of your story. I'm assuming about the Angels. I already know that. I didn't need the cards to tell me that you see Angels. But there's a deeper, darker secret you haven't told me yet."

Lark grabbed his pink lemonade, taking a large swallow, "I'm not lying about anything, if that's what you're asking."

"No," Cana shook her head, "That's not what I think at all. I think you're just not telling me the whole truth. I know that you act out when you get scared. But what scares you, Lark? It's not just the worry that Natsu will tell you to leave at some point. And it's not the fact that you see Angels. There's something deeper."

Lark nodded, deciding not to deny it. He _wanted_ to tell her about it. She might be the only one who could make any sense of his nightmares. He just didn't know how.

And when he opened his mouth, nothing came out.

Cana watched him struggle for a few minutes, then reached her hand out, patting his hand.

"We're giving it a rest for today," she told him, "I found out what I wanted to know for now - and that's that you do have a secret that you need to divulge yet. And remember ...everything you say to me is confidential - unless it's a danger to you or the people around you."

Lark nodded thankfully.

"So," Cana said, glancing at her watch, "that means I have 1/2 hour to drag the name of the hoochie who got your goochie outta you."

"Oh C'MON!" Lark protested, the relief in his face evident. He was off the hook again...for now, "We're not going through THAT again, are we?"

"I can think of at LEAST another 3 dozen!" Cana shot back.

"Bring it!" Lark shouted.

* * *

As Cana and Lark got back into their banter, Wendy stood back, frowning. She wondered what Cana's logic was for leaving Lark alone about the nightmares today. She'd been really pleased at the beginning of the conversation, thinking Lark was finally going to let someone in on his secret.

Wendy wasn't sure what to think about Cana. At first, she thought she was crude and brash. But as she listened to her talk to Lark and connect with him, Wendy was beginning to see the inner workings of Cana's plan to get him to talk. She was good at what she did.

It was getting harder to ignore him when he called out to her. Wendy felt the inclination all the time to reach out to him, especially when he seemed momentarily sad or was on his way to bed. He always called for Wendy first…and when she didn't answer, he'd call for Plue. The sooner he talked about his nightmares and their contents, the better.

"The Stinky Twinkie!" Cana was shouting.

"Shampooing the wookie!" Lark shot back.

"Souring the kraut!" Cana yelled.

Wendy shook her head, completely unsure about what she thought about their friendship. It worked for them. Lark and Cana were undoubtedly good friends. And since she was becoming more confident in Cana's ability to reach Lark and have him talk to her, Wendy's opinion of her was changing slowly.

Both Cana and Lark were laughing so hard, Wendy felt a smile cross her face. He was making progress. There was no doubt about that.

* * *

"He just wants to protect you," Kinana said to Lucy, "Natsu would never betray you."

"I know," Lucy sighed, "It's just…why him? Couldn't someone else be sent?"

Kinana nodded, silently agreeing with her friend, "Are you holding up okay otherwise?"

Lucy shrugged, "I know Dan's locked up in a room that he can't escape…but I feel like he's everywhere. I watch over my shoulder when I walk on the street. I check my car's back seat before I get inside. I can't help but be paranoid."

"Natsu is probably feeling the same way," Kinana told her, "He wouldn't have taken the shift if he didn't have a reason. You know that."

Lucy nodded. She did know that.

"Okay," she said, letting out a deep breath, "I'll trust that he knows what he's doing."

Kinana smiled at her friend encouragingly, knocking back the last of her coffee.

* * *

Jellal and Erza walked around the school together, matching stride for stride. It was one of the things that Erza loved so much about Jellal. They were in sync with almost everything. Erza knew most of the time what Jellal wanted without asking. Jellal could usually figure out Erza's movements before she made them.

But at this moment, neither knew what the other was thinking…other than that they both wanted to stop fighting…or ignoring…or whatever was going on between them.

"I'm sorry," Jellal said finally, "I've been thinking a lot about you over the past few days. I want to work this out."

"Me too," Erza agreed, "And not talking about it or dealing with it is not helping matters…so I'm sorry too."

Jellal glanced at her, wondering who Erza had confided in to help her make such an about flip. Whoever it was, he was thankful.

"Erza…" Jellal paused, thinking over his words carefully. They'd just made the first step toward going back to good terms and he didn't want to ruin it, "I realize I'm not up front with you. When I worked with Crime Sorciere, it was necessary to keep secrets. But I don't work for them exclusively anymore. You are my partner. I should not be keeping any kind of secret from you, even if I do take the odd mission with them. From now on, I promise to divulge all I know."

"It's not even that," Erza sighed, "I think when you approached me about going with Erik, it wasn't entirely that I'm upset that you keep secrets. It's more that I wonder if you regret it…giving up Crime Sorciere to be with me. I'm the one who wanted to stay at Fairy Tail to protect our friends. You gave up what you loved most…for me."

He turned to her, asking permission with his eyes to hug her. She nodded slowly, burying her head in his chest as he enveloped her.

"I would do it again," he told her, "Crime Sorciere gave me fulfillment for a long time. But _you_ are my fulfillment now. I've talked to Erik. The next mission that comes up…I will only take it if you'll come with me and everything that is divulged to me is also divulged to you."

"Thank you."

"And the truth too," Jellal continued, "is that I wanted to stay with Fairy Tail as well…to protect Larcade and Natsu's family."

Erza nodded, understanding his insinuation that his decision to stay with her was a _choice_ and not an obligation.

"Are we good?" Erza asked, lifting her chin to his face.

He nuzzled her nose, "Yeah. I was just about to go home and have a nap. Will you join me?"

She nodded, "After I see the Dragneel kids home. You go ahead. I'll see you in awhile."

He took her hand, squeezing it, then _transported._ Erza sighed, feeling the weight of several days lift off her shoulders, then proceeded to look for Levy.

* * *

"The teacher told me to walk away next time," Aimi told Aki as they met up after school.

"What does he _think_ you did?" Aki asked angrily, "But then the teacher didn't believe Haru or me the day Yuka and Toby tripped Haru in the hall either."

"Let's just get out of here," Sora suggested, "My mother should be outside soon."

"Something bad is going to happen," Aki said, glancing at Daisuke who was almost done packing his backpack for the trip home, "Daisuke's going to snap."

Aimi watched Haru packing his bag as well, "If Haru doesn't first."

Both Daisuke and Haru approached the girls, glancing around for any signs of Toby and Yuka.

"Let's go," Daisuke said, gesturing toward the door, "I've talked to my mother. I'm going home with you guys today to see Lark."

Erza frowned, beginning to understand today's incident was far from the first. Wendy had most definitely been right in her assumption that something was wrong yesterday.

She started to follow them when she saw the purple-haired girl moving swiftly through the hallway, following the small group out the door.

Erza's eyes narrowed. There was something about her that Erza didn't trust.

* * *

"Here you go," Sting said, pressing a USB stick into Erik's hand, "A copy of the video is on there. I assume you'll be calling an Angel's meeting."

Erik nodded, "I was hoping to let Jellal have a real rest. He hasn't been away from Fairy Tail since Dan and Jackal arrived. But I don't think this can wait. We will want to double our presence tonight."

"It's scary," Rogue said, "to think that they found Kari, even away from the prison."

Sting nodded, "You'd be best to have your meeting before the night shift."

"I'll call it now," Erik agreed, "And I'll also send out a notice to Heaven that we'll need some backup."

"Natsu's partner, Romeo, is poking around to see what he can find out about supernatural events happening during Lucy's incident," Rogue mentioned, "He's figured out there's a connection. We played it off today, but he's watching."

"Okay," Erik nodded, "We'll watch that situation too then."

He hit a button on his cell, texting it all at once to the group of Angels.

 _Angels Meeting – URGENT_

 _Please meet at Levy and Gajeel's in 20 minutes._

"Rogue and I are taking the day shift with Dan and Jackal in the morning," Sting said, "The entire department is putting time in. I was happy with how fast the schedule filled up today."

"Thank you," Erik said, "I need to go. I just called an Angels' meeting. It would probably be good if I went to it."

Rogue chuckled, "True that."

* * *

Levy was waiting outside for the kids when they came out the door. She had just received the text from Erik that an Angels' meeting had been called. That was _not good timing!_ She couldn't have an Angels' meeting in her home with her daughter there.

"Hi Auntie Levy!" Aimi waved.

Levy grinned back, "Good day today?"

Haru nodded, "It was good. Daisuke is coming home with us to see Lark."

"Oh!" Levy exclaimed, the wheels in her head turning, "Sora, you should go too."

"I'm grounded," Sora reminded her.

"This can be an exception," Levy told her, "Go. See your friend. It's been a little while and you were a mess the last time you saw him. Be home by 7:00."

"Thanks Mom!" Sora half-shouted. She shoved her backpack in the passenger seat – no sense in lugging it around.

"I'll make sure she gets home," Daisuke told her.

Levy nodded, waving at the teenagers as she pulled away from the curb.

* * *

Gray stood in the _shadows_ of Juvia's Restaurant, watching the woman he loved watch over Mest, Loke, Aries, Kinana, and Gajeel. Her former employees were sitting at the bar, having a drink together. Everyone else had taken sabbaticals. Lisanna had booked herself into a spa, citing it was a wonderful way to forget what was happening in her workplace. She got completely out of Magnolia, Virgo deciding at the last minute to go with her. Levy was working from home. Lucy was looking after Lark. Cana had agreed to counselling sessions with Lark, but was otherwise just using the time to hang out with her boyfriend.

The remaining crew members were somber, noting the busy restaurant atmosphere. The customers were oblivious to the turmoil the restaurant proprietors were feeling.

Gray's turmoil came from watching Juvia. He could her glancing toward the door that would lead them up the stairs to where Dan and Jackal were incarcerated. She hadn't shown as much as anxiety as some of the Angels around them, but he could tell she was simply hiding it. He'd seen that look on her face before.

"I'm fine, dearest," she promised when she caught him staring at her.

Gray crossed to her, enveloping her in his arms, her back to his chest, "We don't have to be here, you know. We can go check on Lucy...or Cana...or go to whatever spa Virgo and Lisanna are holed up in."

"Sorano and Ezel are following Virgo and Lisanna," Juvia told him, turning in his arms for a hug, "And we're needed here. Gajeel can't watch everyone on his own."

Gray nodded, kissing her hair, "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

She smiled, "I love you too. Don't worry so much. I have no intention of running into either Dan or Jackal. I won't go upstairs, even if the employees do."

He nodded again, knowing that for Juvia, her worst fear would not be Dan, but Jackal.

Gray frowned, feeling the vibration of his cell phone go off. Juvia pulled away from him slightly, realizing her cell was going off too.

"Jellal is calling an Angels' meeting," Juvia stated, reading the text.

She glanced back at the bar.

"They'll be okay," Gray promised, "We'll go to the meeting and come back."

Juvia nodded, taking his outstretched hand.

Behind them, Gajeel told the rest of the Fairy Tail crew made an excuse as he headed to the door, stating that he was going home to check on Levy.

* * *

"What is it?" Erza asked.

She and Jellal were following the Dragneel kids home. Their hands were intertwined as they walked. For the first time in days, Erza felt contented and happy, despite everything that was going on in Magnolia.

"My cell," Jellal excused himself, reaching into his pocket.

He showed the text to Erza, who immediately reached for her phone. She had received the same text.

"I don't know anything about this!" Jellal said right away.

"I know. We'll see the kids home first," Erza said, gesturing to the kids.

Jellal nodded, "Let's go.

* * *

Natsu thanked Aries for the trays of food that had been brought up for Dan and Jackal's supper. Natsu and Macao had taken turns watching the room while the other disappeared downstairs for their supper. Now it was time for the prisoners to eat.

It hadn't been too bad so far. Macao and Natsu made small talk. It was almost like just having a visit with a friend…except they were at Fairy Tail. It really helped that he couldn't actually see Dan or Jackal. Even so, he could feel his temper simmering.

"You don't have to give them their food," Loke told him, "I'll do it."

Natsu nodded, passing the tray to him. His aggravation at being a wall away from the man that tortured the love of his life ate at him as he was turning back to the stairs. Loke was watching him.

"You're curious, aren't you?" Loke asked.

Natsu nodded again, glancing between Macao and Loke.

"Don't take any guff from them," Mest advised, joining the small group as Loke passed the tray back to Natsu, "They will try to get you angry. Don't buy into it."

Natsu took the tray, his nerves doing flip flops they approached the cells.

"We'll do Jackal first," Mest told him, "Stand away from the bars. And Jackal gets plastic utensils, since we're worried he'll keep a metal one to find some way to create a bomb."

Loke took out a remote control, hitting a button. It amazed Natsu as the gigantic metal partition slid up over the cell, revealing a metal-barred window.

"Oh ho ho!" Jackal called out, "Must be time for the next meal!"

He pressed his face to the bars, taking in the faces in the room.

"New recruits!" he commented, "Shit – I'm honoured!"

"Don't be," Loke said flatly, "Just take the tray and shut up."

Loke opened a cupboard, pulling out a long partition. Natsu placed the tray (containing cut-up chicken, broccoli and mashed potatoes) on it and and pressed the button to mechanically slide it to the Jackal's side of the cell.

"It's not steak!" Jackal yelled out.

"You're lucky we're feeding you at all!" Mest growled back, "Shut the hell up. You've got 20 minutes to eat your meal."

Loke stood back as the metal door slammed down, blocking Jackal's view of the world. He reached down and latched the partition that sent Jackal's meal into him so it could not be opened from the other side.

"That was…interesting," Natsu commented.

"Jackal is a lot more vocal than Dan," Mest sighed, "This shouldn't take long."

Macao glanced at Natsu again, noting the apprehensiveness increase in the young man's eyes.

The metal door retracted when Loke pressed the button again, revealing the same barred window Natsu had seen in Jackal's cell.

"Here's your meal, Dan," Mest called out, placing the tray on the partition.

"Smells good," Dan commented, coming to the window.

He stared, mouth open, as he caught sight of Natsu.

"It's _you."_

Natsu shook his head, backing up. His face blanched, "We've never met."

"No…" Dan said slowly, watching Natsu's face, "I can't say that we have…but I know you. I've seen your face."

The men paused, staring at each other for a long, tense moment. Natsu felt the anger that he felt toward Dan bubbling to the surface as the man's face got more and more confident, then cocky. Mest glanced at Loke, giving him a warning glare that they might need to intercede.

Dan extended a finger, pointing at Natsu with smirk on his face, "You look like a loser to me. You look like someone who fucks up everything you try."

Macao, Mest and Loke tensed. Natsu Dragneel could not be described that way at all. He was a good cop and a loving family man. But the look on Natsu's face said what Dan had just mumbled _registered_ with him.

Natsu stared at Dan, his eyes narrowing. The odd sensation he'd been feeling since the arrival of Dan Straight in Magnolia intensified. He could feel something nudging at his brain. What Dan had just said was not Dan trying to call Natsu a loser _now_...it was almost like those words had been said before...a direct quote... almost like a flash back. Deja vu.

Loke and Mest exchanged glances, watching Natsu's face flush with obvious fury. He knew that wasn't possible.

Dan leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the bars, "Yes...I know who you are now...you're the jackass that married my Lucy."

Natsu's fists balled as he charged the cell, " _MY_ Lucy, asshole!"

Mest grabbed Natsu's arms, restraining him.

"Maybe for now," Dan said flatly, his eyes clearly amused at the rise he'd gotten out of Natsu, "but only because I'm in here and you're out there. I'm the one who popped her cherry, you know. She was mine first...and we will meet again one day and she'll remember why she loved me first... _asshole."_

Natsu ripped his arms out of Mest's grasp, charging the cell once again. Both Mest and Macao jumped to pull him back.

"Shut the partition!" Macao demanded.

Loke pressed the button, sealing Dan's door in Natsu's face, but not before Natsu heard the cackling from the other side. The food partition came back, Dan's tray safely delivered. Mest locked it, glancing back at the other men.

Natsu still struggled, letting out a feral, "FIGHT ME, YOU FUCKER!"

"Sit down, Natsu!" Macao told him, pushing him to the chair behind him, "You need to calm the fuck down!"

Natsu's fists were still balled and the veins in his forehead protruded. His face was beat red and he was breathing heavily. He pushed against Mest, trying to break around him to go back to the cell. It took all three of them to force Natsu into the chair.

"I'm calling Sting - you're off shift," Macao told him, getting out his cell phone, "It was a mistake to think you could handle this."

"I'm FINE!" Natsu hissed, "That bastard..."

Mest and Loke both stood in front of Natsu, who was now sitting back in the seat, trying to collect himself. Their bodies broke his line of vision to the cell.

"Yes, he's a bastard," Mest agreed, "but you let him goad you."

"Macao's right," Loke agreed, "You need to chill out. Everyone else at the station can take care of this. There's no reason for you to be here."

"Go to the station gym," Macao suggested, "Go use the punching bag."

Natsu stared at Macao for several moments before finally nodding. The men released their holds on him, knowing Natsu had calmed enough to be rational now.

"Don't let him get to you," Mest repeated.

"That son-of-a-bitch doesn't know me," Natsu stated, "It's not possible."

"No," Macao said in a low voice, "It isn't. Maybe he saw your face in a news article or something."

Natsu was working to calm himself down. Even now, he wanted to open the cell doors and pound the ever-living hell out of Dan. He couldn't rationally understand his anxiousness or his anger.

Natsu shook his head after a long moment, fleeting, hazing images running through his head.

"What is it, Natsu?" Mest asked, noting the change of expression to something akin to confusion.

Natsu took a deep breath, staring again at the cell that contained Dan.

"I've never seen him before," he said in a low voice, "I have no memories of ever meeting. But I can't shake this feeling that I'm mistaken...I don't know why, but I think Dan's right…"

"What do you mean?" Macao asked, gesturing for Mest and Loke to listen to what Natsu was saying.

"I'm saying he's right," Natsu stated flatly, his voice now completely devoid of emotion. Visions swirled around his head. Hazy visions he still couldn't clarify in his mind's eye. They confused him.

Mest, Macao and Loke simply stared at him, unable to react. None of them had ever seen the cool-headed Natsu react as vividly as he had just now.

Natsu nodded with affirmation, his eyes flashing again, returning to their regular green colour as he successfully calmed himself, "I can't remember ever coming face to face with him..but Dan Straight and I...we've met before."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Okay - I realize you'll kill me for leaving it there since the day is only half-over and technically, the Dragneel kids are only just getting home from school...but the remainder of what should be included in this chapter is a WHOLE 'NOTHER CHAPTER'S WORTH - so I decided to break it into two...otherwise you'll be reading roughly 15,000 words.**_

 _ **Next up: Lark visits with his friends -will he learn about the bullying?...Natsu deals with his emotions about seeing Dan...the Angels gather for another meeting ...and the chapter clincher that I am not going to divulge at this particular moment. :D**_

 _ **Drop me a review! I'm going away for the weekend and will not return reviews until Monday! BUT I STILL WANT TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! Lay them on me! Also maybe leave a well-wish for OtakuPrincess, who hasn't been feeling well at all and STILL read the chapter from her hospital bed!**_

 _ **~Shana~**_


	15. Chapter 15

**_A/N: I would apologize for the late chapter...but technically, I'm just not early. lol. Sunday is update day! Lots of things happening at the moment - and it's just going to get more complicated!_**

* * *

"We're home, Lark!" Aki called out, placing her backpack on her designated hook. Aimi and Haru did the same as Daisuke laid his against the wall. Sora glanced into the living room, realizing it was empty.

"We're outside!" Cana called.

"Auntie Cana!" both Haru and Aimi exclaimed, bounding happily to the door to greet her.

Cana exchanged hugs with the twins, then remained standing to hug Daisuke, Sora, and Aki as they too filed around the patio door.

"It's about time you stopped by!" Lark grinned, fist-bumping Daisuke.

"Looks like the beauty rest did you some good," Daisuke replied.

Sora smiled. Lark did look a lot better. His face swelling was coming down very nicely and his black bruises were starting to fade to various shades of green and yellow. The bandage on his forehead and the brace on his arm remained, but he didn't look nearly as bad as only two days earlier.

Lark hugged Sora, "You look good, Sora...you're doing better?"

She nodded, taking a seat between Daisuke and Lark, Aki on the other side of Daisuke.

"I'm okay," she said softly.

Daisuke patted her hand, "She's been a rockstar."

Aki glanced at their brief contact, but looked to Cana right away, "So? Is Lark still insane?"

"I'm not insane!" Lark snapped.

"You jumped off a damned dam," Aki stated.

"I didn't _jump_ off a damned dam...I _skated_ off a damned dam," Lark argued, "There is a damned _difference_!"

"Still a pretty damned _insane_ stunt!" Aki exclaimed.

"Well, you're a damned nuisance!" Lark shot back.

"WEAK!" Daisuke moaned, "So weak! I think you lost your come-back super-powers with that clunk to the head!"

Haru and Aimi giggled, pouring themselves some lemonade. Sora suppressed an amused grin.

"Lark is not insane," Cana interrupted, trying to hide her grin behind her glass, "He's going to be just like he always was."

"I thought the point was to get him to _not_ be like he was," Haru quipped.

"Don't you have homework to do?" Lark asked.

Haru threw up his hands in mock surrender, "Okay! Going to do my homework."

Aimi stifled a giggle, following her twin with her lemonade in hand.

"I skate down one little dam and people have me pegged as crazy," Lark sighed.

"That's not true," Daisuke told him, "We had you pegged as crazy _far_ before that."

Daisuke, Aki, Sora and Cana burst out laughing. Lark pretended to pout.

* * *

Natsu punched the punching bag, over and over again, the force behind his hits throwing the bag back a full foot or more per hit.

"Whoa - you're gonna break it open!" Romeo teased.

"Hey partner," Natsu muttered.

"What's wrong?" Romeo asked.

"What do you mean 'what's wrong'?" Natsu asked, round-house kicking the bag, "Can't a guy come for a work-out without the 3rd degree?"

" _I'm_ here for a work-out before my shift," Romeo corrected, " _You're_ beating the shit out of that bag. That's no work out. That's one-sided annihilation of an innocent bag of sand!"

"Whatever, Romeo," Natsu hissed, hitting the bag again. Romeo was pretty sure the bag split a little bit.

"Let's spar before you kill that thing," Romeo suggested. The truth was, he'd been sent to try to make some sense out of whatever had just happened at Fairy Tail. Macao had called Romeo, warning him of Natsu's impending arrival at the gym. Sting was aware as well, but thought it best to give Natsu time to calm down.

Huffing slightly, Natsu nodded, heading over to the sparring ring with his partner.

* * *

Happy and Wendy arrived at the Angels' meeting just as everyone else did, filtering into the Redfox living room one by one.

Erik sat on a kitchen chair, his hands cushioning his head as he contemplated how to break the latest news. Jellal sent him a questioning look, but the other man didn't even notice his presence. He was lost in his own little world.

They'd all been seated for a good minute, watching Erik's anxiety-stricken face. Gray and Juvia sat on the couch with Wendy and Happy, Erza and Jellal sharing the Lazy Boy, while Gajeel and Levy took the love seat.

Gray glanced at Juvia, noting the smile on her face as she realized Jellal and Erza still held hands. Levy was noticing the same thing.

"I'm sorry," Erik said, gaining the attention of everyone in the room, "I'm sorry to take you from your assignments for this...but there's something you should know."

The Angels were solemnly quiet as they waited for Erik to gather his thoughts.

"There was another murder last night," Erik said finally, turning the TV on.

He pressed 'Play' on the video he'd gotten from Sting, every Angel watching in quiet contemplation.

* * *

Cana passed Lark a sandwich. He took his first bite, feigning absolute pleasure at the taste of it.

"Anyone else wanna sandwich?" Cana asked.

The other teenagers shook their heads, Lark tossing Aki a mock-angry glare when she stole a pickle that was hanging off the edge of his sandwich.

"Your loss," Cana announced, starting to make one for herself.

"So have things have settled down at school?" Lark asked.

"Not really. It's still a daily thing," Daisuke replied, "But we're working on it. We're trying to alert teachers a little more often so that maybe they'll intervene. And you'd be proud. So far I've kept my cool."

Aki flashed him an angry warning glance. Lark and Cana both look confused.

Lark frowned, "What are you talking about?"

Daisuke and Sora glanced at him, furrowing their brows. Aki, on the other side of Lark tried to gesture for them to be quiet. Cana took in the scene with interest. It seemed Lark wasn't the only one with secrets.

"Daisuke?" Lark demanded.

"Just the rumours of what happened to you," Aki interrupted as Daisuke opened his mouth to speak, "They're getting annoying, that's all."

Lark made direct eye contact with Daisuke, then Sora, who both made eye contact with Aki, then met Lark's glance. His piercing gaze struck both of them, making Sora instantly look away. Daisuke leaned a little closer to her. Aki folded her hands in front her, keeping her face absolutely straight.

Cana sat back in her seat, intrigued.

* * *

Romeo bounced with his fists ready, grinning ear-to-ear as he faced Natsu. He loved sparring with his partner. He'd always been good at sparring, but since training with Natsu, his abilities had increased ten-fold.

"C'mon Pinky!" he taunted.

Natsu's eyes darkened as he assumed his position too.

"I've told you before not to call me that! You should learn..." Natsu told Romeo firmly as they locked into a wrestling lock, pushing against each other, "...to respect your elders!"

"You said it, not me!" Romeo laughed, getting a quick two-punch into Natsu's side, "And weren't we boxing? Hence the gloves? Isn't this more along the lines of wrestling?"

"You think you're funny, Rookie?" Natsu glared.

Romeo dodged another jab from Natsu, stumbling backward as his other side took a hit from Natsu's other arm. The punch was hard...and it hurt.

"What's your problem?" Romeo yelled, lunging forward with a hard right hook.

Natsu blocked it, returning with a left uppercut. He caught Romeo's jaw, sending him to the floor.

It occurred to Romeo that Natsu was downright aggressive at the moment. Dangerously so. Natsu was always an avid fighter, but there was something deeper driving him today.

"Don't tell me I have a problem!" Natsu scowled, "I'm fine. I just came to work out. That's all."

"Bullshit!" Romeo replied, hopping back up to his face and resuming his boxing stance, "You're supposed to be on duty at Fairy Tail. So what the hell happened?"

Romeo charged to the left, preparing a serious left hook.

Natsu caught his arm, blocking the attack. He twisted it, trying to force it to Romeo's back. Romeo ducked, twisting his arm out of Natsu's grasp and coming up behind him. He whacked him in the middle of the back, causing Natsu to stumble forward a bit.

"Macao was able to handle it himself," Natsu muttered, whirling around to face Romeo, "I thought since I already told Lucy I wasn't going to be home, I might as well come get a work out."

"BULLSHIT! I passed Nab on his way out of the station to replace you!" Romeo stated, "And you aren't even boxing! You're out to seriously hurt something! SO WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM!?"

Natsu lunged at Romeo again, plowing both boxing gloves into his stomach. Romeo reeled backward onto the mat, quickly rolling over so that he get back onto his feet. He could see Natsu already advancing again, dodging as his foot slammed down onto the mat.

 _What the hell? Natsu never fought like this._

"I don't have a fucking problem! He does! He doesn't know me!" Natsu yelled, "It makes no sense!"

Romeo dodged another left swing, but didn't get out of the way of the right fist in time. He was thankful for the helmet he wore. That really would've hurt.

"WHO doesn't know you?! WHAT doesn't make sense!?"Romeo yelled back, bouncing to his feet. It was pretty clear he wasn't going to get a hit in now...and maybe that's not what Natsu needed. Right now, it made better sense to be in defensive mode and let Natsu work out his aggressions.

Natsu stopped moving, breathing deeply. Romeo could practically feel the anger emanating from his body. As Natsu looked up, his bangs shaded his darkened eyes, but Romeo did not mistake the red glint that showed this time. That was a definite red flash in his eyes.

"Shit!" Romeo murmured as Natsu charged again.

He hit the floor, rolling again to get out of the way. Some of the other officers were starting to note the death-spar. Natsu had stopped sparring long ago and Romeo was starting to think Natsu would actually hurt him given the chance.

Yukino didn't like the look in Natsu's eye either. She veered off the treadmill she was using and sprinted for Sting's office.

* * *

"Minerva has returned to Heaven to ask for recruits," Erik said when the video was over. The shocked Angels were silent. The video had clearly shown their suspicions were correct - that was no regular human, "We need help watching them. The truth is, if they found Kari outside of the jail system, they're probably going to find Dan and Jackal here as well."

"DAMMIT!" Gajeel thundered standing up, pointing his finger straight at Jellal, "I _TOLD_ you this was a bad idea!"

"Send them back to prison!" Gray agreed, "If they're going to be killed, it should be _away_ from here and _away_ from the people we care about!"

"We CAN'T send them back to prison!" Erik told them, "The prison guards can't protect them, which is why we brought them here in the first place."

Jellal nodded quietly, Erza glancing at him.

"So we wait for whatever is killing their colleagues to come to Magnolia?" Levy yelled, "Those cells aren't going to keep demons out!"

"So what then? We send them back to prison and leave them to die?" Jellal asked quietly.

Erza sat back from him with horror on her face, "What would _you_ have us do?"

"We are not defenseless against demons," Jellal said in a low voice, "Every Angel has protective measures. Think about your special abilities."

"Those aren't meant to be weapons!" Gajeel bellowed. Levy grabbed his arm, forcing him back down beside her.

"You're kidding, right?" Juvia laughed nervously to cover her growing anxiety, "You're not actually suggesting that we fight them using our abilities that help regular humans..."

"If it comes to that, yes. I am suggesting that," Jellal said, standing up, "Abilities were given to us so that we could help humans...yes...but they are also for protection...against things regular humans have no defense against. It's been a long time since any Angel has actually _had to use them_ that way...but that _is_ why we've been gifted with them. Ultimately, Angels are all equipped to deal with whatever comes our way...including things that are not human. It comes naturally to us...think back...we've all used our abilities offensively before."

He could see the Angels' faces conflicting as they all thought back to the same scene - the docks of Magnolia 16 years earlier. And every other Crime Sorciere mission they'd ever attended, really. Not all of their assignments accepted redemption easily. But this was another matter. In this case, their opponent had the ability to effectively fight back to injure the Angels. And the Angels would gain the ability to truly hurt another being.

"That was different!" Levy argued, "They were going to kill Lucy!"

"And we were facing regular humans!" Juvia added.

Jellal didn't respond, each Angel knowing that was exactly the point. They had defended Lucy because they had to.

"You want us to learn to protect Dan and Samuel?" Gray clarified, "Because I still have no interest in helping with that."

Erik looked up, "Jellal and I are the only ones actually locked into looking after Dan and Jackal. We are not asking you to abandon your posts. But you _do_ need to start learning to use your abilities offensively. We don't know yet if there's reason to believe the killings will go any further than Dan and Jackal. We don't want to find out. But you also need to be prepared to protect your wards."

An awkward silence filled the room, each Angel glancing to the other faces.

* * *

Cana couldn't help noticing Sora lean in to Daisuke as Lark glowered at his friends and sister. On the other side of Daisuke, Aki watched the contact, her eyes conflicting. It was painfully obvious they weren't telling Lark the whole truth, but Lark didn't know any more than Cana did about what they were trying to hide. She could see that in his eyes. She also wondered what was going on between Daisuke, Sora and Aki, but shoved that thought to the back of her mind, more wondering about the secret that everyone was keeping from Lark.

They heard the front door slam, announcing the arrival of the youngest Dragneels. Brielle right away called for Strawberry Floofy while it sounded like the boys were rifling through the kitchen for food.

"The little kids are home," Aki mumbled, excusing herself from the table, "They'll be hungry."

"I'll help her," Sora said quietly.

Daisuke stood up, "Do you want me to help too?"

Aki glared at him, "No thanks. Sora and I will handle it."

Daisuke watched the two girls disappear back into the house before sitting down again.

Cana's eyes had a glint of amusement behind them. There was definitely something going on there. She'd have to dig a little deeper to find out what. But right now, the boys needed to relieve the tension between them. Whatever secret was being kept, it was Aki's decision to keep it from Lark...not Daisuke's.

"So Daisuke...can you tell me who Lark's 'playing chess' with these day?" Cana asked.

Lark sighed heavily, "Heeeere we go! Don't fall for it, Dai...once she gets going..."

"Playing chess?" Daisuke asked.

Lark threw his good arm up in the air, "Aaaand he fell for it!"

Cana didn't miss a beat, "You know - where's Lark giving meat injections? Who's teaching him biology? "

"I _told you_ not to get her started," Lark pointed at Daisuke, shaking an accusing finger.

Daisuke shrugged.

Cana grinned wider, "Planting the parsnip. Playing hide the cannoli. Searching for pocket change."

"I'm still missing something," Daisuke quipped, a small smile spreading across his face, "I'm just not getting it."

"MAVIS! STOP ENCOURAGING HER!" Lark feigned disgust.

Cana leaned back in her chair, "Torpedoing the eel. Filling the gas tank. Jerking it where she's twerking it."

Daisuke couldn't contain his laughter anymore. Lark just rolled his eyes.

"I'll get one of you to spill," Cana promised them.

"There's nothing to spill!" Lark insisted, getting up from the table, "Be right back. Just gonna see how the little kids' days were."

He pointed at Daisuke.

" _You say nothing_!"

Both Cana and Daisuke dissolved into laughter.

She waited until Lark was out of earshot before turning to Daisuke, "So...wanna tell me what's really going on at school?"

Daisuke's smile disappeared as Cana pulled out another flask from her purse and poured herself another lemonade.

"Better hurry," she said, "He won't be gone long."

* * *

Lucy stared at her work building from across the street, wondering how Natsu was doing on the inside. Just being across the street filled her with anxiety. She had no clue how Natsu must feel.

She had left Kinana an hour ago to get groceries. Unfortunately, the grocery store she regularly used was right across the street from the very place she wanted to avoid.

Kinana was right. Natsu would never take the shift to purposely hurt her. But she'd be lying if she said that the fact that he took the shift at Fairy Tail didn't bother her.

It was a lot of years ago. The past was the past. Most of her memories were faded now. Honestly, she'd blocked a lot of them too. For years, Lucy had been fine. Natsu was her rock. Natsu had literally dissolved all the years of suffering and pain and built a life with her that was full of love and laughter. She didn't understand the sudden anxiety she felt. Perhaps it was due to the anxiety she was picking up from him in past days? Perhaps she'd been content to stick Dan in the corner of her mind and forget he even existed.

It was true that she went through a few bad days a year, especially around the time of Juvia's death. She still mourned her friend. She always would. Still, she was so happy with her life, Dan hadn't been a factor for many, many years. Reasonably, he still shouldn't be. She would not be seeing him.

Natsu had a valid reason for taking the shift. There was no other explanation.

She leaned over to put the last of her bags into the car when she felt the tap on her shoulder. She turned, smiling at the young girl looking up at her.

"Do you have some spare change please?" the girl asked, her dark purple hair glinting in the sun. Her clothes were ragged and her hair was a mess.

"I don't carry change," Lucy told her, "But if you're hungry, I'll give you some things from my bags."

"Thank you," the young girl smiled.

Lucy rummaged through her bags, creating two bags with milk, bread, some lunch meat, granola bars, and some bananas. She handed them to the girl, "Enjoy."

"Thank you," the young girl said again, bowing before taking the bag and disappearing down the alley.

"You can take the girl out of Fairy Tail," Lucy murmured to herself as she shut her trunk. She glanced back to the alley, "But you can't take the Fairy Tail out of the girl."

She offered a prayer for the girl, hoping she would find her way. Any other time, Lucy would have taken her to Fairy Tail to try to help her get on her feet, provided that the girl wanted the help. But there was no way she was going anywhere near Fairy Tail...at least for a little while. Her small gesture would have to do.

Everyone should be home by now. She felt a sudden anxiousness to see her children. She was so thankful that her kids had so much. Sighing, she made a deal with herself that if she came across that girl again, she would do more for her...with or without the resources of Fairy Tail.

* * *

The girl watched Lucy from the shadows of the alley before turning on her heel and walking to the other end. She waved her hands over her body, instantly transforming to her usual appearance. Mission accomplished.

She hurried down the alley, then crossed the street into another alley where the two boys were waiting for her. They reached their hands out instantly, so she passed them the bag, shaking her head at their child-like exuberance at the small gift.

"This should keep you for a couple days," she told them.

The boys nodded, hungrily eyeing the full grocery bags.

"You're doing a good job keeping the pressure on," she continued, "But in order to achieve my objective, I need you to turn up the heat. I'll continue providing you with food and a roof over your heads, but you know what you have to do."

The boys nodded again, one with a granola bar in his mouth, the other eating a banana.

"I'll be watching," she told them as she walked away.

* * *

Romeo blocked another punch meant for his stomach, pain etching all the way down his arm with the contact. A small crowd of officers had gathered, a little unclear whether Romeo and Natsu were playing or if Natsu was seriously trying to hurt Romeo.

He was breathing hard and there was no doubt his nose was bleeding. Natsu was breathing hard too, but he was still enraged. He came at Romeo again.

"Enough!" Romeo told him, "We're done sparring! You're getting too serious!"

"We're not done til I say we're done, Rookie!" Natsu snarled. He grabbed Romeo's arm, throwing him to the ground with a thud that shook the entire platform. A few of the officers let out audible 'ooohhh's' as if they could feel how much that must have hurt. Romeo cried out, covering his face as Natsu held him down with his legs and got into position to pummel him with both fists. Perhaps what scared Romeo the most at this point was the intense heat coming from Natsu. It almost felt like fire - and it was really, really frightening. He was about to get beaten to death.

Romeo braced himself, vaguely hearing Wakaba ask the other officers if they should be intervening.

"Knock it off, Natsu! That's enough!" Sting's voice came from the side. Rogue and Yukino both stood alongside him, poised to intercept if necessary.

Natsu froze, his fist in the air. He stared at Romeo for a long moment. Romeo's eyes widened as he literally watched the red light die from Natsu's eyes. Natsu's fist lowered and his entire body seemingly relaxed. Romeo's tense body had no clue what had just happened.

"Good job," Natsu said as if nothing happened, "You really kept up to me."

Romeo glanced at Sting, completely bewildered, still lying on his back.

"Natsu..." Sting said in a firm voice, "Come with me."

Natsu nodded, reaching out his hand for a fist bump from his partner. All the anger was suddenly gone from his eyes. He was Natsu again. Hesitantly, Romeo complied, meeting his partner's bloodied fists with his own. Natsu smiled at he stood up, reaching a hand down to help Romeo up too.

Romeo stood in the mat, watching his partner follow Sting out as if nothing had just been out of the ordinary. Around him, other stunned officers had much the same expression. But nobody said anything, simply returning to their exercises programs without a word, once again leaving Romeo with more questions than answers.

* * *

"Do you really think it will come to that?" Happy asked, breaking the silence of the Redfox living room, "That we'll have to defend ourselves and our wards with our abilities?"

Behind him, Wendy was cringing. This topic was really frightening. She just wanted to get back to Lark and pretend that nothing bad was happening anywhere else.

"I hope not," Erik replied, "But we have to consider all possibilities. We don't even know who 'they' are yet. We don't know anyone would want these people dead. All we know is that they tracked Kari's location down. It's possible they could come to Magnolia. It would be in all of your best interests to learn how to use your abilities offensively."

"We have no idea how to use our abilities like that," Juvia repeated, "Even if it came to defending our human friends, we wouldn't know how."

"Minerva is speaking to Heaven about that as we speak," Erik said, "There are Angels who have retained their knowledge through the ages. There would be teachers."

The room fell silent again.

"I still say Dan and Jackal should be moved," Gajeel piped up, "They're not our problems."

Jellal shook his head, "No, technically not. You aren't with Crime Sorciere anymore. But looking back over their years in jail, Dan has made an honest effort to become a better man. Jackal...not so much, but he did pledge his soul to Crime Sorciere. Therefore, there is some good in him somewhere. Either way, nobody deserves to be brutally murdered."

"And we were all former Crime Sorciere members at some point," Juvia said softly, "We took a vow to protect human life and try to redirect their souls in the right direction."

There was a long silence as the Angels exchanged glances.

"I'll learn," Gray stated, taking Juvia's hand, "I won't take a shift with Dan and Jackal, but I'll learn so I can protect Natsu and his family if necessary."

Juvia nodded her agreement.

"Me too," Levy said quietly, "I have a daughter to protect."

That made Gajeel reluctantly nod his agreement as well.

Wendy nodded, her face white.

Jellal glanced at Erza, "I meant what I said today. I won't agree to anything until I discuss it with you."

She nodded, reaching for his hand, "I already know what you want to do...so I will learn as well."

Jellal squeezed her hand, kissing the top of her head.

Erik felt a wave of relief pass through him. Hopefully Minerva would have luck with recruiting members to help watch Dan and Jackal. There were likely only a few days before the murderer would locate Dan and Jackal. If those Angels protected Dan and Jackal and these Angels were prepared to look after the Dragneels and Fairy Tail members, things might be okay. But he needed to get them started. They would need every minute they could spare.

"Wendy?" Juvia asked softly, noting the colour of her face.

"I-I can't," Wendy stuttered, "I don't want to learn offensive ability. My job is to protect Lark. I'd rather just..."

Her voice trailed off.

"Don't worry, Wendy!" Happy said brightly, "You just keep being with Lark. The rest of us will cover!"

Wendy frowned slightly as the Exceed hugged her, but her emotions were conflicted. She briefly wondered if she was savatoging herself. Maybe she was the baby of Crime Sorciere because she was afraid to move forward...and the rest loved her enough to protect her and keep her in her comfort zone. There was a nagging feeling she couldn't shake that she should be learning to use her ability too.

"I hate to end this," Levy said, her voice clearly shaking from the nervousness of the moment, "But Sora will be home soon."

Erik nodded, "I'll be in touch with details then. I'll make an appearance to Heaven once Minerva comes back to help with Dan and Jackal and ask to have teachers arranged."

With nothing left to say, the meeting broke apart. Erik and Jellal locked eyes, Erik offering an encouraging smile as he noted the fingers Jellal intertwined with Erza. Wendy and Happy disappeared quickly, anxious to get back to their post. Gray and Juvia returned to Fairy Tail to watch over the employees there. Levy busied herself in the kitchen, preparing dinner while Gajeel sighed heavily.

"I need to get back to Fairy Tail," Erik said, "Thank you for the use of your home."

"I'll be back for duty tonight, as promised," Gajeel told him.

Erik nodded, his eyes thanking Gajeel, then he disappeared. Minerva should be checking in soon and he wanted to be at Fairy Tail when she arrived.

* * *

Daisuke glanced back toward the kitchen, hearing the younger Dragneel kids excitedly tell Lark what happened at school.

"What aren't you telling Lark and why?" Cana prodded.

Daisuke sighed, not really sure why Aki wanted it to be a secret anyway, "The Dragneel kids are being bullied."

Cana paused, taken slightly aback, "By who?"

"Two of Lark's rivals," Daisuke said, glancing down at his hands. He wondered what Aki would think of his breaking her confidence like this. He wasn't telling Lark, but he was still telling _someone, "_ Toby and Yuka. They've been taunting us for days."

"Why?" Cana asked.

Daisuke shook his head, "Don't know. They've always bugged Lark, but it's never been hurtful. They trade insults and dare each other to do stupid shit. But since Lark's accident, it's gotten really bad."

"Have you told the teachers?" Cana asked.

Daisuke nodded, not needing to add that nothing would be done by the teachers.

"And what about Lark's parents?"

"I think that must be why Aki doesn't want anything said," Daisuke told her, "She doesn't want more tension and she knows Lark will be angry and he'll want to do something. Things are finally getting better between Lark and Natsu. She doesn't want anything to happen."

Cana nodded, contemplating his words. Daisuke was extremely close to Lark. Perhaps he could shed some light...

"Daisuke," Cana said, putting a hand on his, "Do you know what's bothering Lark?"

He stared at her for a moment. Cana was one of his mother's best friends. She was like an Aunt to him too. It always amazed him how she was so perceptive, despite her constant need for alcoholic refueling. But if there was one thing he knew, Cana _cared_. She would do anything to help her friends and their children.

"He has nightmares," Daisuke heard himself saying. His eyes widened. He had no idea why he had divulged the information so easily.

Cana frowned, contemplating this new information.

"Dai! Cana!" Lark poked his head out of the door, "You wanna stay for supper?"

Cana shook her head, "Got plans with the old man. He's back in town after his latest venture. Wants to tell me all about it. Another time."

Lark nodded, "It's been a good visit again...thank you."

Cana smiled.

Daisuke glanced up, shooting Lark an innocent grin. Inside, he knew he'd said too much. He couldn't believe he'd broken Lark's confidence so easily, "I promised my mother I'd be home for supper...and I promised Levy I'd get Sora home too! In fact, we'd better get going."

Lark frowned, "Well, you'll come back, right? It's not going to be another four days or whatever?"

Daisuke forced a laugh, "Hell no! You won't be able to get _rid_ of us!"

He glanced at Cana, getting up from his chair. They exchanged meaningful glances, then Daisuke went into the house.

Cana sat outside alone for a long moment, going over the new information of the afternoon in her mind, then starting gathering the dishes on the patio table to take indoors when she heard the excited, "Mom's home! She's got groceries! All available hands - report to the carport!"

She chuckled to herself as she heard the stampeding Dragneels, racing to help Lucy in with her groceries. Mavis, how she loved this family.

"Aki!" she yelled on her way in the door, "Set an extra plate for me! I've changed my mind!"

* * *

"What happened?" Sting asked. Natsu had been seated in the chair across from Sting for several minutes in awkward silence.

Natsu sighed, knowing full well that Sting already knew what happened. Macao would have told him everything. He had no side to tell. He'd lost his temper and let Dan get to him.

"One minute, I was putting his food down for him, the next he said he recognized me," Natsu muttered. As if that lame-ass statement would relieve him of any wrongdoing.

Sting glanced over at Rogue, who stood in the corner of the office.

"Natsu," Rogue said, "Nobody can blame you for being leery of Dan. But maybe it's better if you don't have any guarding shifts."

Natsu nodded, really wishing to end the discussion there. But he knew Sting and Rogue. It wasn't going to be that easy.

"Is it true?" Sting asked, "Do you know him?"

Natsu shook his head. It hurt. He had a horrible headache and he had no clue why. He could still feel rage simmering deep within him.

"I've never seen him before," Natsu stated, "And yet, there's something at the back of my brain telling me I have. I _know_ I haven't. I don't _remember_ ever seeing him before...I've never even been in the same _place_ as him before. It's just a feeling that I can't explain."

"Maybe you just feel like you have because you're so close to Lucy," Sting suggested, "Maybe you've shared her feelings for so long, it's just a natural reaction. You've read every article and you've seen his picture through newspapers and whatnot."

Natsu nodded, trying to accept that plausible reasoning. It made more sense than the thoughts running rampant in his brain. But his face did not reflect that he accepted the explanation wholeheartedly.

"Do you want a few days off to cool your head?" Rogue asked.

Natsu shook his head, "No. I'll return to regular duty around Magnolia and stay away from Fairy Tail. The busier I am, the less time I'll have to think."

Both Sting and Rogue nodded.

"Can I go?" Natsu asked.

"Almost," Sting interjected as Natsu stood up.

"What happened just now," Rogue said, "Do you know that you were close to seriously hurting Romeo? Someone who isn't your partner and isn't familiar with your fighting style would've been hurt for sure. You scared the shit out of him...even now he's in the lunch room with Yukino, trying to calm down."

Natsu looked down at his feet for a moment, nodding slightly, "I don't know what that was. I was just _angry_."

"Go for a run," Sting suggested, "It'll help you clear your mind. Blow off whatever steam you have before you go home."

"And you need to control that anger," Rogue added, "Find your focus and control your anger. Because we won't be able to let that fight you had with Romeo go a second time. You were getting to the point of out of control. So focus on what you love the most and get yourself centred again...or we'll have no choice but to send you home for a few days."

Natsu nodded, reaching for the door knob. When neither Sting nor Rogue protested his leaving the room, he slipped out the door without another word.

* * *

Daisuke and Sora shuffled along the sidewalk side by side, neither in a huge hurry. They'd been relatively silent since leaving the Dragneel home. It often daunted both of them just how loud that household could be at times and it was always rather nice to be somewhat quiet after a visit there.

"Are you okay?" Daisuke asked after awhile.

Sora looked surprised, "Who, me? Yeah - I'm fine."

Daisuke nodded, kicking a pebble off to the side of the sidewalk.

"Are you?" Sora asked, noting the somber expression on his face.

"Yeah," he replied, "Cana was asking a lot of questions when I was alone with her. I'm just replaying the conversation in my head, that's all."

"Lark looked a lot better," Sora stated, "His bruises and the swelling are starting to fade."

Daisuke simply nodded. Cana's ability to pull information from just about anyone had always made Sora a bit nervous, so he wasn't surprised that she changed the subject quickly.

"Dai?" Sora asked, her face turning slightly inquisitive, "Why do you think Aki doesn't want Lark to know about Yuka and Toby?"

He stayed quiet for a moment, contemplating his answer, "I was thinking about that too. I think she's worried Lark will do something stupid again."

Sora nodded. That made sense, "He can't take on Toby and Yuka being in the shape he's in. She'd be right if that's the case...he can't know."

"I told Cana," Daisuke admitted.

It was Sora's turn to be quiet for a moment, "I think that was a good idea. Cana is sharp. She would have picked up on the fact that Aki doesn't want Lark to know too. Hopefully she'll talk to Lucy about it and maybe things can finally settle down. Lark won't be happy if he finds out."

"I'll find a way to talk to Cana tomorrow," Daisuke promised, "And I'll see what suggestions she has."

Sora nodded. She hoped there was a way to make it stop too. Each confrontation was getting more physical and she had no doubt something bad would happen if it went much further.

"I never asked you what happened the night you and Lark stayed out all night," Daisuke murmured, interrupting her thoughts, "Why did he come for you at such a late hour anyway?"

Sora couldn't answer him, visions of Brielle's drowning swirling through her brain...the conversation where Lark admitted he could see Angels...her awkward and unwanted kiss...

"Sora?" Daisuke asked gently, turning to her.

She hadn't even realized she'd stopped walking...nor that her face had drained of colour. She had been trying not to think about any of that in the past few days. She didn't like being a quivering mess, especially because Lark had seen her like that. Sora was determined to pull herself together, and had been very successful at doing so for the past several days. But she couldn't tell Daisuke what she knew without divulging everything. There wasn't a single part of the story that could be told without interconnecting with the rest for the complete picture.

"I can't tell you," Sora whispered, pleading with her eyes for him to understand, "Please understand, Dai...I don't keep things from you normally...but I can't tell you this."

Daisuke reached out his hand, placing it on her shoulder as he realized she was shaking slightly, then pulled her into a tight hug before she had a chance to start crying or something. He really couldn't stand seeing her upset.

He paused, burying his face in her hair.

"I feel helpless," Daisuke admitted, "And I need you to talk to me. It doesn't have to be now, but if something doesn't start making sense soon, I'm going to go crazy."

Sora tightened her hold on his back, completely unsure of how to react. The cool-headed Daisuke never lost control of his emotions.

"We're almost at your house," Daisuke said finally, pulling away from her, "I'm going the other way now. I'll see you tomorrow."

Sora was dumbfounded as he began walking in the other direction. He never left her partway. He always walked her to her door. He must be pretty upset. She watched him until he disappeared around the corner.

Taking a deep breath, she cleared her head of any formed thoughts and started toward home, completely unaware that she was being watched by a pair of eyes at the edge of the alley.

"Do you want it to be her?" a voice asked.

The girl shook her head, "No. I want it to be _him."_

* * *

"Again!" Cana mused, "Okay - Haru, Aimi, Connor and Mieske! You're up!"

The Dragneel kids were seated around the table with Cana and Lucy at the heads. Lucy had explained to Cana that Natsu would be at Fairy Tail tonight. She hated the apparent anxiety in Lucy's eyes. This family was under entirely too much stress...so she took it upon herself to try to lighten their moods.

She waited for each kid to place their perspective bowls of Maltesers in front of them, their straws in their mouths, waiting for the order.

"Go!" Cana ordered.

Instantly, all four kids started sucking as hard as they could on their straws, trying desperately to suction their Malteser hard enough to pick it up. The other kids cheered loudly for their partners, encouraging them with instructions.

It was Aimi who finally managed to suction her Malteser enough that she could transport it into the nearby glass.

"AIMI'S DONE IT!" Cana announced, the table erupting into cheers, "Aimi and Brielle for the win!"

Aimi and Brielle high-fived each other. Cana took a sip of the daiquiri Lucy made her, her smile never waning. She loved this family so much. Over the course of dinner, they'd done the Malteser game, the Ice-Breaker game (everyone takes an ice cube and melts it as fast as they can without using their mouths...messy, cold, a little gross, and tons of fun!), and musical supper chairs. Cana thought it was funny that the kids would ask to do the Malteser game again.

"Okay, let's get moving on dishes," Lucy announced, "Little kids, you're clearing the table. Big kids, you load the dishwasher and clean counters."

Lark started to walk into the living room, being that he only had one arm to work with. Aki chucked a cloth at him.

"You can wipe the table with one arm!" she remarked.

All the kids started moving right away to comply, Lucy shooting her son an encouraging grin and he took his post at the table.

"I should go," Cana stated, moving to help wash the pots and pans, "I'm supposed to catch up to my dad tonight."

"Oh go!" Lucy insisted, "It's been so great having you here. The kids love you."

"And I love them," Cana smiled, "I'll help you with pots and pans first. Dad can wait."

She studied her friend as she filled the sink full of soapy water to wash the pots, preparing the scrubbing sponge for action.

"Lucy?" Cana asked thoughtfully, reaching for a drying towel, "Are you okay with Natsu taking the shift at Fairy Tail?"

Lucy gestured to the kids as they flurried around, indicating she couldn't talk about that right now. Cana nodded, understanding, but didn't miss the glint in Lucy's eyes. She accepted that Natsu had taken the shift, but she had mixed feelings about it. She would find some time tomorrow to spend with Lucy. Clearly, Lark was not the only person in this family going through turmoil.

* * *

"Floofy!" Happy called, searching the bedrooms for his white feline friend.

"I'm in the bathroom, Tom-Cat," she called back.

Happy cocked his head, surprised that she would volunteer her location to him. He entered the bathroom, noting she had curled up on Lucy's guest towels.

"Lucy is gonna be mad at you if you get her towels all hairy," he warned.

Carla scoffed, "I'm pretending to be an Earthland cat - what does she expect?"

She noted the playful glint that was in Happy's eyes was considerably less than normal.

"No fish tonight?" she asked.

Happy shook his head, "No time. The Angels' meeting was super intense. And I really should tell you what happened."

"Well, don't delay!" she told him, "Come - there's enough room here for both of us."

Happy tried to contain his exuberant grin as he curled up on the guest towels beside her.

* * *

It was almost 10:00. Natsu was parked outside of his house, but he hadn't gone in yet.

He had gone for a run as Sting suggested. He had run the whole perimeter of the city before returning to the station for his vehicle. It felt good to run, but his knee was starting to bother him.

He didn't understand what happened that night. He didn't understand his own thoughts or why Dan had triggered such rage inside of him. Most of all, he didn't understand the ominous feeling that this was not the first encounter he'd ever had with Dan. There were no memories. There were no specific incidents from the past that he could remember that would make him that unreasonably angry. It just made no sense.

He would apologize to Romeo the next day...because honestly, he didn't remember half of the fight. All he knew was that it felt good to concentrate his anger.

 _"Find your focus and control your anger. Focus on what you love the most_ ," Rogue had said.

"I love my family the most," Natsu muttered out loud to himself, watching various lights shut off for the night. The little kids would long since be in bed. Aki and Aimi's lights were out. It was a few and far between night that he would not be kissing his children goodnight as they shut their eyes for the night. He couldn't help feeling guilty about that.

His eyes settled on the window of the room that he shared with his beloved wife, "I love Lucy."

He nodded to himself. _Lucy_. It didn't matter what Dan said. Natsu and Lucy had a solid marriage. They loved each other immensely and raised their children with love. It didn't matter what came their way...Natsu and Lucy always got through it together. They were so attuned to one another, they could finish each other's sentences. Lucy was his rock. Lucy was his focus.

He exited the car, entering through the carport into the kitchen.

Lucy looked up from her book, lowering her reading glasses down the bridge of her nose, "Welcome home!"

"Where are the kids?" Natsu asked.

"They're all in -"

Lucy's words got cut off as Natsu grabbed his wife, kissing her deeply. She got over her initial shock, then settled into the kiss, returning it wholeheartedly.

"I love you," Natsu told her, backing her toward their bedroom.

"Natsu?"

"Shhh," he whispered.

He kissed her again, continuing to push her toward their bedroom, then locked the door securely behind them.

If someone asked her, Lucy would describe sex with her husband as a deeply sensual experience, but tonight he took it to a whole new level. He kissed her as he backed her to the bed, letting his hands wander. She let out a sigh of satisfaction as he undid her robe, lowering her down gently.

"Natsu?" she asked again.

"I need you tonight...please don't ask questions...just love me, okay?" he whispered, "Is that okay?"

She nodded, frowning slightly, but accepted him as he shed his own clothes and reached for her.

His thrusts were slow and deep. He explored every inch of her skin, massaging her with both hands. She reveled in it, soaking up the lavish attention he poured up on her. He wouldn't let her take over at all, insisting with no words whatsoever that it was all about her this time. She settled for arching against him, pushing him inside of her deeply as he could go, then begging him to speed up.

"Luce," he murmured into her hair in their post-coital afterglow, stroking the bare skin of her arm, "I want you to know you are everything to me."

"I know," she replied, applying light kisses across his chest, "You're everything to -"

"No, I mean it," he interrupted, "I'm nobody without you. So thank you. Thank you for raising 8 beautiful kids with me. Thank you for being the most amazing partner a guy could ask for. I love you so much."

"What brought this on?" she asked, wrinkling her nose, "Natsu...did something happen with Dan?"

Natsu paused, knowing he should tell her. He would. Just not in this moment.

"I don't want to talk about Dan," he said, rolling over so he could kiss her deeply again, "Not when we could be having round 2."

Lucy returned his kiss as his hands began to wander again. There was no doubt in her mind that something had happened...but right now, he needed her to love him.

And so she would love him...and ask him her questions tomorrow.

* * *

Cana sat down at her coffee table, guzzling a rum and Coke as she shuffled her deck. Her father had agreed to dinner the next night, since she'd ended up staying at the Dragneels for dinner. It had been a very informative day.

"Okay cards!" she announced, finishing the shuffle, "Lotsa things to talk to you about today!"

"Whatcha doin', Baby?" Bacchus asked, encircling her waist with his arms, "Aren't you coming to bed?"

Cana nodded, "I will. I just need a minute."

Bacchus kissed her neck, "Don't be too long."

"I won't," she promised.

He got up, stealing her rum and Coke with a gleam in his eye as he finished it for her.

"Hey!" she squealed as he tickled her sides.

Smiling, he took her glass and refilled it before sauntering off to the bedroom.

Cana turned back to her cards, crackling her knuckles.

"Okay cards...let's start with Lark, shall we?"

* * *

 _"How long will you run, Larcade?" the ominous voice demanded, "Give into it. Let yourself fall to the abyss."_

 _He ignored it, scrambling on his hands and knees along the wall._

 _It was hard to breath. His breaths came out in raspy coughs as he tried to keep going, despite the fact that the room seemed to be closing in on him. Was it? Yes. The walls were closing in. Blood oozed down the sides, seemingly crawling for him. He stood up to make another run for it. For what, he didn't know._

 _"You can't run," the voice told him._

 _He couldn't scream, instead gasping for breath and he glanced around the decreasing room. Stalagmites began spearing up from the ground. He dodged them, but he was running out of room to run._

 _Suddenly he felt his leg being gripped. He looked down, shaking it as he realized a stalagmite had 'grasped' his leg, solidifying like a casted prison. The stalagmite began retreating, trying to drag him down, down, down…_

* * *

Wendy shot _tranquility_ through the room, trying to calm Lark as he thrashed in his bed. He wasn't screaming, but sweat began pouring down his brow. The _tranquility_ was completely ineffective.

Getting down from her window sill perch, she doubled her efforts.

Tears streamed out of his eyes as he began breathing rapidly. She strode over to the bed, laying her hands on his body, at first using _presence_.

Lark bucked up, crying out slightly.

"Shhhhh," Wendy soothed, becoming visible, "Lark – you have to wake up."

He threw out his hand, punching the air with his good fist. She jumped back, his bandaged arm only narrowing missing her. He kicked out his left leg violently.

"Lark!" she said firmly, "You have to wake up!"

She reached and touched his forehead, sending peace through his body, then enveloped him in a tight hug as she felt his utter desperation and fear tear through her.

"You're safe, Lark…please wake up."

He was hyperventilating, tears streaming from his face. It took him a full minute to realize that Wendy's body enveloped his. She held him firmly, trying to prevent him from thrashing.

"You're safe," she whispered in his ear, "Calm down."

She stroked his hair gently, pouring her _tranquility_ into him.

He was sweating as he worked to regain his composure, his breath coming out in short rasps.

"Wendy!" he cried out. The fingers on his good hand clenched her shirt, digging into her back.

Several minutes went by before Lark calmed enough to speak to her. He was still far from tranquil, his breathing far from normalized.

"What's wrong with me, Wendy?" he pleaded, "Why do I have these nightmares? He's coming for me and I don't even know who 'he' is!"

"I know they terrify you," she said, softly stroking his hair, "But you're safe. Nobody is coming for you."

She felt his whole body shudder.

"Except 'he' is, Wendy…" Lark took a shaky breath, "It's too real…"

"Who is 'he'?" Wendy asked.

"I don't know!" Lark cried out, "I don't know who he is!"

"You need to talk to Cana about your nightmares."

"I'm trying," he whispered, dissolving into mortified tears, "I can't explain it, Wendy! I don't even know what I'm seeing! That voice – he keeps coming for me! I can't get away! The walls…they were closing in…and the heat…I couldn't breathe."

"Shhhh!" Wendy soothed, "You're safe now."

Several minutes passed before Lark stopped shaking enough for Wendy to pull out of the embrace. She left her fingers in his hair, stroking gently. Tears still streamed down his face.

"Something grabbed my leg," he muttered, noting the pulsating pain.

She glanced at him, noting how pale his face was as she moved down the bed to examine his leg. Up to the knee, the entire leg was chaffed and bleeding. She laid her hands on it, pouring her healing into him.

"I thought you left me," he whimpered, "I haven't seen or felt you for days."

"I'm never far," she promised.

He took deep breaths, still trying to calm himself down.

"Do you always get physical injuries with your nightmares?" she asked, horrified at the painful swelling Lark seemed to have.

He nodded, "It's not the first time anyway."

She finished healing him, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry," he said finally. He glanced at the clock, "It's still the middle of the night."

"Do you think you can sleep again?" she asked.

Lark shook his head.

"I don't want to sleep," he told her, "That's where 'he' finds me."

Wendy sighed, wishing she knew what to do to help him.

"Move over," she told him.

He glanced up, his eyes questioning.

"I'm not leaving you like this," she promised, "So if you won't go back to sleep, I'll stay beside you."

He nodded, shifting slightly on the bed. Lucy always gave him enough pillows to sleep on a slight incline. It helped him to keep his shoulder stable. She waited for him to finish shifting, giving her a couple of the pillows, then settled onto the double bed beside him.

"I don't normally remember the contents of my nightmares," he said softly.

He was mostly calm now, lying on his back about a foot away from Wendy.

"I've had them as long as I can remember."

"Are they always so intense?" Wendy asked, shifting onto her side so that she could see the outline of his face.

"No," he said absently, "It's only been the last 6 months that they've really gotten bad."

"It's been almost a week since the last one," Wendy remarked.

Lark nodded, "I was actually starting to get comfortable again. Sometimes I think they're all in my head. Even though the last week has been really stressful, I feel like things are turning around. I think a part of me hoped the nightmares would just go away."

She nodded.

"Do you ever feel like that?" Lark asked, "Like you can't escape? Like everything you do is just going to end up in the same spot, no matter how hard you fight to make it different?"

She started to shake her head, then paused, thinking about her status as the youngest member of Crime Sorciere. She was stuck at the bottom of the rankings. It wasn't the same. Yet she wondered if some small part of it was. Furthermore, she couldn't get herself to accept using her abilities offensively. She didn't want to hurt anyone, human or otherwise. Her reluctance made her feel like a traitor to Crime Sorciere, since everyone else had accepted they needed to learn so easily.

"I can't say that, no," Wendy said finally, praying for forgiveness for her lie.

"This is when I usually go do something stupid," Lark confided, "I'm scared and I feel like there's no way out. I don't know how to deal with it."

"But hurting yourself won't help you," Wendy said softly, extending her hand to touch his arm.

He placed his fingers overtop of hers briefly, "I know."

They both withdrew their hands, Wendy settling back onto her back.

"So instead," Wendy suggested, "Lean on me. You won't always see me. But I won't be far. I'll listen to you…keep you from self-harming. And I'll protect you from your nightmares."

 _Self-harm…was that really what he was trying to do?_

"What can I do for you in exchange?" he asked.

Wendy shook her head, "Nothing. I'm the Angel here. I'm supposed to comfort you."

Lark cocked his head, "There must be _something_ I can do in exchange."

He studied her facial features , taking in her azure blue hair. She was incredibly pretty, but behind her eyes, if he looked really hard, she showed doubt and insecurity. Maybe she felt lonely too?

He glanced at her, taking in her pretty features, "I'll be your friend."

"My friend?" she asked, "I'm an Angel - what do I need a friend for?"

"It looks to me like even Angels feel lonely sometimes," Lark said, "I can see it in your eyes. You need someone to make you feel like you don't have to live up to everyone else's standards...someone to relax around."

Lark nodded, reaching across the bed with his good hand to find hers again. He squeezed her fingers.

"I can do that," he said softly, "I don't want you to feel our arrangement one-sided ever. You keep me from doing stupid shit and I'll listen to you when you need to talk. Because it really looks like you need that."

"You can't tell anyone about me," she warned him, "I'm not supposed to be appearing to you, let alone agreeing to be friends with you."

"I won't tell anyone," he promised as their fingers interlaced, "I promise."

She smiled at him in the dark, squeezing his hand. He smiled back. He wasn't sure how long they laid there, but he fell asleep again. And it would be one of the best sleeps he'd had in a very long time.

* * *

Down the hall, Natsu sat straight up in bed, suppressing the ferocious war-cry scream in his throat.

"Natsu?" Lucy bolted upright too, "What happened?"

She realized he was sweating and breathing hard. She paused, listening. The rest of the house was quiet. The kids were okay...it was Natsu who needed her now.

"Bad dream," he replied, struggling to control his rapid breathing.

She wrapped her arms around him, coaxing him back to a lying position. Laying her head on his chest, she frowned.

"You're shaking."

"I'm okay!" he promised, "It was just a dream."

"What did you dream?" Lucy asked.

He shook his head, "I don't know. I can't remember the details."

She could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew exactly what he dreamed. He'd been acting strangely since the moment he'd walked in the door. Not that she minded. She was always willing to love him when he needed her. But whatever shook him up had shaken him up badly...they would need to talk it out in the morning. For now, he needed her comfort.

She laid her head on his shoulders, stroking his arm gently as she intertwined their legs.

"I love you," she told him, "And I'm right here if you need me. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," Natsu let out a deep breath, "It wasn't even a dream…more like an intense déjà vu. It's fine...I promise."

She nodded, kissing his chest as he returned her embrace, "Go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

Natsu let out a deep side, cuddling his wife as close to him as they could physically manage. But he would lie awake for a long, long time.

* * *

In the darkness of his cell, Dan Straight laid awake as well, flinching at every small noise he could hear. It was next to nothing. The cell was tight. He knew likely that he was hearing things strictly in his imagination. But considering the reason he was in Magnolia in the first place, Dan couldn't blame himself for being nervous.

He thought about Samuel again. He hadn't been made aware of all the details of his death, but Samuel would never allow someone near enough to kill him. He missed him in an odd sort of way. The man was brash and loud and violent...but he was his brother. He longed again for the small wood carving Samuel had made for him.

Goading Natsu had been the highlight of his time in Magnolia so far. It felt good to push someone to the brink of aggression. Particularly the man who was currently married to his Lucy. He wondered about their personal life. Did they have children? Did she ever think about him?

He smiled to himself, remembering Natsu's absolute confusion. Dan couldn't explain why he felt he knew Natsu - or felt the need to coerce him into a confrontation...but it had been deeply satisfying. Perhaps he would push further to find out more about his Lucy and her current life.

He just needed an opportunity.

* * *

 _ **Seeya next week! Please leave a comment - they motivate me and I'd sure like to hit 100 this week!**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**NOTIFICATIONS ARE FIXED! Did you read Chapter 15? Thank you FF Admin to fixing that!**_

* * *

Natsu groaned when the alarm went off. He was not ready to face the day. Lucy rolled over, kissing his chest lightly.

"Natsu...5 more minutes," she whispered.

"I can't," Natsu sighed, "I've got to work today. Although we are definitely due for a day where we do nothing but sleep in together."

She hummed happily, "Say the word. I'll get Levy to come for the night and we'll sneak away to a hotel…just you and me."

"With a private Jacuzzi," he added, "Let's pick somewhere small. We don't need touristy things to do. It's not like we'll be leaving the hotel room."

She giggled happily, "Let's make it happen, Natsu. We need this."

He nodded, kissing her gently, "Yeah…we do."

He moved to get out of bed again, pausing when she caught his arm.

"What about my Daily Anniversary?" she pouted.

He feigned a sigh, settling back beside her, "Happy Anniversary, Baby."

"What Anniversary is it today?" she asked, a contented grin on her face. She loved this tradition. She never had to question Natsu's love for his family. He loved them and remembered every little detail that made them special.

"5 years ago this week," he murmured, kissing her shoulder, "The whole family took their first trip to Crocus for Aki's dance recital."

She grinned, leaning her neck back to give him access to her throat, "It was a our first visit to a large hotel. I didn't think Connor would _ever_ stop riding that elevator."

Natsu stopped kissing her so he could groan at the memory, "Neither did I. I was _sooo_ sick to my stomach."

She laughed, holding him a little tighter, "Next time, we'll let one of the older kids ride with him and spare your stomach."

"My stomach and I thank you for that," he resumed kissing her neck, pausing to nip at it to make her giggle, "At least Aki did well at the recital. I don't know if I've ever been so proud."

She giggled, "Liar. You say that every time one of our kids accomplish something."

He laughed too, "What can I say? Our kids are all ridiculously talented."

She sighed, the smile on her face waning. She had to bring it up.

"Natsu...we need to talk about yesterday," she murmured.

He hugged her tightly to him, placing his forehead on hers, "I know. I'm not trying to hide it from you. It's just…yesterday when I came home…"

"You needed me," she interrupted, "And I knew that. And I will be there for you again as many times as it takes. I'm just worried about you."

He kissed her forehead, sighing because he knew the 5 minutes he couldn't afford before work were up. But he would _always_ find time for his Lucy. His heart swelled again with how much he loved her. It had been awhile since they'd had some alone time.

"Maybe when I get home tonight, we can take a walk after dinner," he suggested, "And discuss a good date to get away."

"I'd like that," she told him, "Just you and me."

He grinned a Natsu-like grin, making her feel a lot more at ease, "It's a date! So in order to make the day hurry up and get there, let's get up and get moving!"

She lay in bed, watching him head for the shower in their room, his naked ass muscles straining for her to lust over as he walked.

"Are you coming?" he asked, winking suggestively.

She laughed, then bolted out of bed to follow him.

* * *

Lark woke up slowly, realizing that at some time during the night, Wendy had rolled into his side. His good arm was wrapped underneath her back and she had tucked herself into the crook.

He stayed still, loving the intimacy of the moment. He didn't want to wake her yet. That was _one_ question he wouldn't have to ask her about Angels. This was proof that even Angels had to sleep sometimes.

Lark had a myriad of questions he was dying to ask her. All his life he had known about the existence of Angels, but had no one who could answer his questions. Such as – did she have a family? What were her interests? What did she do for fun? How long were Angels assigned to their jobs? What kinds of jobs were there to choose from? Was Heaven as beautiful as he imagined it to be? Was there a society there? With buildings and families?

He glanced at her again, taking in her pretty features. Her skin was smooth, her eyelashes long. Her long blue hair had come undone overnight, cascading over her shoulders. There was a sereneness to her face as she slept, soft breaths landing against his bare chest.

He fought the urge to touch her, not that he could if he wanted to. His good arm was trapped under her body. The other arm was still held firmly to his side with the bandaged wrap that protected his cast.

He needed to stop looking at her.

He replayed their conversation from last night in his head. She had promised to be there for him. She had agreed to be his friend. He wondered if she would consent to a walk with him. He'd been home for several days and he was pretty sure Lucy would let him walk around the block or something soon. He had to start building his stamina again…and he really wanted to get to know Wendy, which would be much easier to do if he wasn't watched all the time.

Despite himself, he felt his gaze wandering back to her.

She stirred, her arm tightening where it was slung across his chest. Her eyes fluttered open, at first calmly taking in his gaze, but then flying open in absolute alarm.

"Mavis!" she yelled, bolting straight out of bed.

He laughed lightly, "Good morning."

She glanced at his bare chest, covered only with his bandages that wrapped his shoulder. His lower body was covered with a blanket. She stopped herself from panicking, quickly glancing down at her own body, safely clad in her usual jeans and a t-shirt that she wore while on Earthland. Her eyes were wild with question until the previous night started coming back to her. She let out a sigh of relief.

He suppressed a chuckle.

"Good morning," she responded finally, sitting on the window sill, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Why are you apologizing?" Lark asked lightly, "We haven't done anything wrong. We just slept."

"It's inappropriate," Wendy muttered, "I'm sorry."

"I won't tell anyone," he promised, "And like I said…we haven't done anything wrong. I'm your friend. You're allowed to let your guard down around me. It's okay. Really."

She maintained eye contact with him, then nodded slowly, "Okay."

"You don't relax much, do you?" he asked, his amusement shining in his eyes. He liked her reaction. It was cute. She was still flustered, according to her red cheeks.

"I relax!" she said defensively, "I'm just…not used to waking up with someone."

He chuckled again, watching her straighten out her clothes and put her hair back into two long ponytails.

"I could get used to it," he quipped.

She glanced at him, trying to gain her composure, "Don't. It's not going to be an every night thing."

"It could be," he offered, "It's nice to sleep near someone."

She went quiet, her cheeks blazing.

"Sorry," Lark apologized, "If you've been around me, you know I like to tease. I don't mean anything by it."

She managed a smile for him, "I'm not used to talking to anyone either. Maybe I'm…awkward."

He shook his head, "I don't think so at all. I think you're sweet."

She blushed again.

 _Mavis, she was cute!_

"I'm glad you appeared to me last night," Lark said seriously, "I really needed you. And I wasn't sure you were still around."

Wendy offered a bashful smile, "I'm still nervous about appearing to you. After that night in the hospital, I swore I wouldn't do it again."

"Nobody has to know," Lark told her, "And I'm glad you did."

She paused, "Why didn't your memory erase?"

He shook his head, "I don't know. I have all sorts of questions and no answers. Maybe that's why I'm so messed up. I see Angels and they can't erase my memories. Yet another enigma about 'Larcade Dragneel – Supremely Perverted Screw-Up Extraordinaire'. I don't know why I can talk to you either…and yet, here we are."

"You're not a screw-up," she stated.

He chuckled, "But I am a pervert?"

She blushed, then started laughing with him.

He went quiet, searching her face, "I meant what I said last night, Wendy…I really want to be your friend…if you can handle me as a friend."

She smiled gently, "I think I can handle it."

He nodded, happy that that was settled, "Lucy will be in soon with the basin so I can wash…care to help me...friend?"

He laughed as she instantly disappeared, but not before he saw her red cheeks.

"Suit yourself!" he called, "I'll be right here – trying to bathe with one hand – if you change your mind!"

* * *

"Daisuke!" Laki scolded, "Stop daydreaming! You need to eat your breakfast and get your lunch together."

Daisuke shook himself from his reverie, snapping to attention, "Right. Sorry."

He was trying to straighten out in his head the multitude of issues presented to his friends right now.

First, there was the obvious issue with Lark…the nightmares…the fact that he had a secret that apparently Sora knew, but neither Lark nor Sora was willing to divulge, even to their supposed 'other' best friend. Up until now, Sora had never kept a secret from him. He couldn't say he blamed her since he knew she was only trying to be loyal to Lark…but the secret was hurting her to keep it. She needed to talk. He saw it in her eyes last night when he'd begged her to talk to him soon. Lark's secret was still tormenting her. He couldn't help her unless he understood what had happened to make her so emotionally agitated. It was time to have a discussion with the source...he'd been meaning to sit down with Lark anyway. He was tired of Lark keeping his secrets that were clearly hurting everyone he loved. While he knew that Lark was working with Cana to resolve his issues, Daisuke hurt for his friend. He wanted...no _needed..._ to understand it himself. Maybe now that Lark was talking to Cana on a daily basis, he'd be more open to letting Daisuke into his world.

Then there was the bullying. He'd told Cana. He wondered what would come of that…whether she'd spoken to Lucy or not. Also, the problem was escalating and Daisuke wasn't sure how he could protect the Dragneel kids and Sora when they were all in different classes at times. He'd been furious when he found out what happened to Aimi. Aki had literally pushed him back with both arms and forced him to sit down at the picnic table to stop him from hunting down Toby and Yuka right then and there. Aimi still couldn't explain how she'd escaped that moment, but nobody cared. What could've happened if she _hadn't_ escaped was more the issue. As much as he'd tried to keep the Dragneel kids from confrontation, he couldn't deny something was going to happen. Perhaps it would be a good idea to confront Toby and Yuka before that happened.

Third, there was the problem with Sora and Aki. Daisuke had had a revelation yesterday. He'd liked Aki for some time. He liked how she challenged Lark instead of going along with whatever he said, unlike the other siblings. She was cool, level-headed, and yet the most generous person he knew. She was a lot like Natsu in that way. He always knew what to do and how to get it done. Nothing phased her. She was as tough as she was beautiful. But lately, he found himself thinking about Sora a lot too. The petite blue-haired girl was his best friend. She was on the quieter side but was completely capable of shutting up anyone who crossed her (he was sure she'd acquired that trait from Levy). She was funny and smart and loyal beyond comparison. It was not a good thing to notice her now. She was head over heels in love with Lark and Daisuke had already sent out signs that he liked Aki. Not to mention Aki and Sora were very close friends and Lark was his _best_ , best friend. Someone would get hurt no matter what happened. There was no good answer there…except to back off of both of them.

Fourth, he was starting to wonder what was happening at Fairy Tail. Cana, Lucy, and his mother were all taking a 2-week sabbatical. He knew Kinana was off too at least part-time because Lucy had gone to see her the other day, according to Lark. Lucy's absence from work had been explained by Lark's accident…but why were the other Fairy Tail members taking sabbaticals? He wondered how to get more information about that, deciding perhaps he could bring it up in casual conversation to Romeo. He and Romeo were good friends. Maybe he could tell him something to ease his mind.

"Are you okay?" Rogue asked, interrupting Daisuke's thoughts, "Didn't your mother tell you to get moving on breakfast and make your lunch for later?"

"Is he _ever_ really okay?" Megumi mused.

Laki shot her a look, prompting Megumi to disappear down the hall to brush her hair. Daisuke grabbed his lunch kit and started throwing things into it, grabbing a muffin off the counter to serve as breakfast.

"I'll be late tonight," Rogue told Laki, "I'm taking a shift at Fairy Tail."

Laki nodded, kissing her husband's cheek, "Okay. I'll keep dinner aside for you."

"Wait," Daisuke interrupted, "Why are _you_ going to take a shift at Fairy Tail when Mom is taking time off from Fairy Tail?"

"Fairy Tail is protecting some people," Rogue explained, "And the guards are only using the Fairy Tail facilities. It has nothing to do with Fairy Tail so they're all taking time off."

Daisuke nodded, noting the look that crossed his mother's face. She looked away, then excused herself to check on Megumi. Rogue took another sip of his coffee, watching Daisuke make his lunch for school.

"Who are they watching?" Daisuke asked casually.

"Some prisoners," Rogue told him, "But no one you would know."

Daisuke caught the flustered expression on Laki's face as she turned away from her husband and son so they wouldn't see her expression. Daisuke may not know who the prisoners were, but it was obvious his mother did.

"I'm going to check on Lark again today," Daisuke mentioned as he slung his backpack over his shoulders. His mother had just re-entered the kitchen, "I'm hoping we can get some guy time. So I might be late too."

She nodded, "Okay. I'll be doing some projects around the house. I'll make sure I'm home for Megumi."

Nodding his thanks, Daisuke headed out the door. If he hurried, he could intercept the Dragneels and walk with them to school.

* * *

Romeo arrived at work early, glancing back and forth at the door that would lead him downstairs. He knew if he got caught down there again, he would be in supreme trouble. But he needed to know what the hell was going on. He was more convinced than ever that something supernatural was directly involved with Lucy's case. Something was wrong with Natsu yesterday…and Romeo needed to know what it was.

He pretended to read the cork board as Yukino passed with Sting, but they were so wrapped up in their own little world, giggling and holding each other's hands, they hadn't even noticed him. He sighed. Soon, they'd be due for another fight. It was a vicious cycle, so as sickening as he found their lovey-dovey stages, he supposed they should enjoy it while they could.

Glancing around, he realized the morning bustle of the police station had nobody paying attention to him. He went for the stairs, deciding the elevator was too obvious, and disappeared down the dark corridor.

"These stairwells need lighting," he muttered under his breath, rounding the corner for the second flight. He took care to move quietly, so as to not tip anyone off to his presence.

Glancing down the hallways to each side of him, he congratulated himself on getting there undetected, then shuddered as he realized the morgue door was straight across from where he stood.

"Keep it together, Conbolt," he scolded himself.

The filer for the archive room would be in soon, so that gave Romeo about twenty minutes to get what he wanted and get back upstairs. If he timed it right, he could slip into the morning briefing a couple minutes late, like he always was, and nobody would be the wiser. Plus, there would be no witnesses when he got back upstairs.

He pulled out the key he had 'borrowed' from the front desk, making sure to handle it with a gloved hand. The door creaked as he opened it, making him freeze. He glanced around the empty hall and sighed with relief as he slipped inside. The lights had been left on. One less thing to worry about if someone happened to arrive while he was there.

He also didn't have to fiddle with the computer this time to find the location of the files he sought, instead heading straight to Aisle 5, section B.

He didn't hesitate to take down the first box, filtering through it carefully. The first box was mostly news articles, repeating the story about Lucy and Levy running from Dan and Samuel for several years and the wake of destruction they'd left behind. The incident ended with police intervention at the cliff outside of town. Dan and Kari had been arrested there while Samuel and his crew had surrendered after their plane crashed into the ocean.

That was the public story…the one Romeo had been taught in policing school and the one that the general public was told…the one with so many inconsistencies, he couldn't believe that no one had ever doubted the entire thing and resolved to dig deeper.

Putting aside the first box, he reached for the second, finding more of the same old, same old. None of these articles were protected and he found it less than interesting. He sighed, frustrated as he read through yet another newspaper account of the aftermath of the docks. Setting aside the second box, he reached for the third.

Behind him, he heard a creak. His heart jumped up into his throat as he froze again, his eyes wild as he glanced around the corridor for the culprit of the noise. A mouse ran across the floor, squeaking as it disappeared between some boxes on the other side of the aisle.

"Fucking mouse," he muttered, trying to calm his pounding heart.

He turned back to the new box.

His eyes lit up. Now he was getting somewhere. It was the box with the official police reports in it.

"Bingo," he whispered, finding the picture he'd found once before.

It was a picture of a police car with its' hood and engine split into two halves like it had wrapped around a telephone pole. He looked at the picture, realizing the car had been out in the middle of a field. Very few telephone poles resided in the middle of a field. So, what had demolished that car?

He flipped the picture over, hoping to find some writing on the backside, but there wasn't anything. Frowning, he put the picture back into place and moved on.

Letters. Shitloads of letters. They were documentations that both Sting and Rogue had written in report format, much reflecting the official public story. This was so frustrating! The archives had a supernatural search tab for a reason…and Lucy's files were cross-referenced for a reason. There had to be _something_ there to explain what really happened!

He found the picture with Natsu's hand resting on Lucy's shoulder in the group picture at 8-Island. Glancing at the hand closer, he knew without a doubt that it was Natsu's hand, even though the rest of him was cut out of the picture. He studied the picture closer, noting a red-headed beauty he didn't have a name for in the picture too. He looked at the back of the picture, noting her name: _Erza Scarlet._ He committed her name to memory, promising himself to do a search later. Gajeel and Levy were in it as well. He wondered if he could corner one of them to ask questions, but decided against it because he didn't know Levy all that well…and Gajeel was kind of scary.

He glanced at his watch, realizing his time was waning. He had to hurry if he didn't want to be caught. He delved back into the box, figuring he could afford 5 more minutes.

He glanced at the next box, wondering if it would have anything other than articles. Pulling the box off the shelf, he paused, noting another box behind it. That was odd. Boxes weren't stacked 2-deep. He glanced around to find a step ladder, successfully locating one two aisles away. He got the box down when he heard the door open to the storage warehouse. The creak echoed through the corridors.

Romeo froze, setting the box down. He moved the ladder down the aisle quickly so as to get it away from the boxes he was looking through, then returned for his box. He needed to leave _now_ …so the box would just have to come with him. He suppressed a sigh. If he didn't get fired for searching the boxes, he would _definitely_ get fired for _taking_ one.

He peered around the corner, noting that it was the department's sketch profiler, Reedus. What the hell was he doing here? Romeo picked up his box, tip-toeing the long way around the aisles til he could see the door, begging Reedus with his mind to go away.

Thankfully, the man walked down Aisle 4, presumably to put something away. Romeo B-lined for the door, carefully letting it close slowly to avoid the creak it had emitted when he'd first arrived there. He skulked down the hallways, jumping 10 feet high when the air conditioning unit turn on.

"Fuck," he whispered under his breath. He really hoped this box was worth it. He could seriously die of a heart attack at any moment. He tiptoed until he successfully found the stair case. Heaving a sigh of relief that he'd made it, Romeo started up the stairs.

* * *

Makarov glanced around at the somber faces surrounding his desk, all eyes on him, awaiting a response.

Minerva had been in Heaven for a few days now, trying to gather together volunteers to help protect Dan and Jackal. There weren't a lot of Angels who would even consider it. Heaven was accustomed to peaceful times…and it wasn't exactly a 'lovely' request.

A few moments ago, Erik had joined the frustrated Minerva inside Makarov's office. He was now requesting instructors to teach the Fairy Tail Angels offensive ability. Laxus stood against the door jam, his usual scowl ebbing his face.

"I think you're right," Makarov said finally, "It may be necessary to teach the Fairy Tail Earthland Angels offensive ability. It's not an art that every Angel knows, although every Angel knows more about it than they think."

"We need more guards too," Minerva cut in, "Erik, Jellal, Gajeel, and I may need help. Gajeel has other obligations and a family. He can't volunteer all the time. Jellal has commitments with Erza."

"What about MacBeth, Michelle, and Racer?" Makarov asked.

"They're still mad at me for getting them killed," Erik muttered, "Not all Angels let go of their grudges at the Pearly Gates."

Makarov nodded, "Then I guess I'll need to dig deeper for volunteers. In the meantime, we should get ahold of Mavis and request instructors."

"Do we have a way of finding out who is committing these murders?" Erik asked, "Crime Sorciere has studied the video over and over. That's no lifeform we've ever met. He said his name was Tempester."

Makarov froze.

"He was one of Porla's men," Makarov said after a long moment, "from a dark gang by the name of Tartaros."

"Yes," Erik said slowly, "We understood that."

"But I doubt you know this," Makarov said in a low voice, leaning forward, "It was before your time, Erik. Before you died and came to Heaven, Tempester and a few other Angels were part of Crime Sorciere."

"I've never heard of them," Erik said slowly, "Why haven't I heard this before?"

"The incident was sealed," Makarov told him, "To protect Angels and maintain the era of peace. They were all Tartaros members: Tempester. Seilah. Torafuzar. Keys. Franmalth. Silver. They were caught at a drug bust gone bad and they were all killed, but the original Crime Sorciere members were able to save their souls. We didn't see it coming until it was too late. They served Heaven faithfully for a period of time, but one way or another, _he_ got to them. Perhaps it was their loyalty to him on Earthland...they betrayed Heaven by helping a known outcast of Heaven. They themselves were thrown from Heaven as a result."

The Angels in the room gasped, all watching Makarov as he said his last words emphatically.

"They're fallen Angels," Laxus murmured.

"Yes," Makarov confirmed, "Demons."

"Who did they help?" Minerva asked, her face slightly white. They had known for awhile that they were dealing with demons, but now it was officially confirmed.

"Zeref," Makarov glanced around the office, heaving a deep sigh, "They helped a man named Zeref."

* * *

Gray followed Natsu into the police station. He really like being assigned to Natsu. He was really proud of his friend for doing so well after his memories had been reset. Even if Natsu didn't know Gray existed anymore, he would never forget their time together.

The Angels' meeting had been intense yesterday and he was actually relieved to be back to regular duty. It was a scary thought to use offensive abilities…but he'd been first to volunteer _because_ he loved his human counterparts so much.

Natsu entered the briefing room, taking his seat at the back of the room seemingly alone. Gray couldn't help but notice the odd officer walk in, giving Natsu a strange look before taking their own seats. As usual, Natsu was oblivious, but Gray was a bit concerned. The looks the other officers gave were a cross between worried and baffled. Had something happened yesterday?

He glanced back at the door, noticing Natsu's partner, Romeo pausing at the door. He was staring at the back of Natsu's head, almost looking hesitant to go sit with him.

"Go," Sting's wife, Yukino, encouraged him, "It'll be okay."

Reluctantly, Romeo entered the room, taking his seat beside Natsu, but edging on the far side of the chair.

"Hey partner," Natsu said quietly.

"Hey," Romeo replied.

"Listen," Natsu said, glancing up, "I'm sorry about yesterday, okay? It won't happen again. I lost control."

Romeo didn't reply, still reluctant to look Natsu in the eyes. Gray's brow furrowed. Since when was Romeo afraid of Natsu? He was always digging smart-ass remarks toward his partner. They were more like brothers than partners – and sometimes Gray wasn't sure that Natsu was the elder brother.

"You really scared me," Romeo murmured finally.

"I know," Natsu said, "I kind of scared myself. I guess I wasn't prepared to see Dan face-to-face. He got to me. He goaded me and I just lost it. That's not an excuse. I really am sorry."

Gray was confused and a little bit angry. Why did things always happen during an Angels' meeting? What the hell went on yesterday? How did Natsu end up seeing Dan face-to-face?

"Are you sorted out now?" Romeo asked.

Natsu shook his head, "Nope. I'm confused as fuck. But I'll work on it and I'll stay away from Fairy Tail."

Romeo nodded, both of their attentions diverting to the front as Sting and Rogue ascended the platform for briefing.

"I've done my 3 nights," Romeo told him, "It was quiet again last night, as expected."

Natsu nodded, then fell solemnly quiet as Sting started to speak.

Gray hummed to himself, wondering what he'd missed yesterday. The odd glance was still cast toward the ever-oblivious Natsu. Whatever had happened, it had bothered more than just Romeo.

* * *

"We're going to get a little more serious today," Cana told Lark as they strolled down the street.

Lucy had agreed that Lark could go for a walk today since he had handled being outside without getting too tired. It was obvious he was getting a bit stir crazy and needed to get out a bit.

"Yeah, I've been waiting for that," Lark groaned, "Okay…what's it going to be? What was going through my head when I pushed off that dam with my skateboard? Blah, blah, blah…"

She shook her head, her expression telling him she wasn't going to tease him today. She wanted the tone to stay serious.

"I want to know your deep, dark secret," she said point-blank, "The one we confirmed yesterday."

His face drained of colour, "Do we have to?"

He felt Wendy _nudge_ him, then encourage him with her _tranquility._

Cana glanced at him, "Do you want to get to the bottom of this or not?"

He nodded, trying to gather his thoughts. He knew Wendy wanted him to divulge this secret to Cana. It was easier said than done.

"You said you're afraid of something," Cana prodded.

He nodded.

"And I did a card reading on you again last night," Cana continued, "It was the Nine of Swords card reversed. Lark…do you have nightmares?"

He was quiet, shuffling along beside her with a blank expression. He was unclear why he couldn't say anything. He _wanted_ to tell her. He could feel Wendy's encouragement coursing through him.

Lark paused for long time, contemplating the best way to divulge his deepest secret to her. He knew it was impossible for an average person to believe. It wasn't _normal_ to have nightmares that obviously were not strictly nightmares. His nightmares were real. His nightmares physically hurt him. His nightmares promised chaos in his future. He couldn't outrun it. He couldn't stop it from happening. He couldnt -.

He took a deep breath, trying to set aside his anguish. It was necessary to tell Cana everything. If there was any person on the face of this planet that would at least _try_ to understand, it was Cana. Too, she had proven to be a good listener. She hadn't mocked him over seeing Angels on a day-to-day basis. She believed him. His confidence in her aptness to successfully help him out of this mess had escalated after the Angel discussion. He needed to trust her. _Mavis, how he wanted to trust her._

"You do have nightmares," Cana confirmed to herself, "Can you tell me about them?"

He nodded, forcing himself to make the decision to tell her.

"I don't always remember them," Lark murmured.

"How often do you have them?" Cana asked, "How long have you had them?"

"All my life," Lark replied, "And the frequency is increasing. It used to be once in awhile, but lately, in the last 6 months, it's been more like once, sometimes twice, a week."

She nodded, giving him a moment to gather his thoughts.

She gestured toward a store, "Let's go get an ice cream. We'll sit at the park and talk about this."

Lark gulped, glancing around for Wendy. He felt a wave of peace pass through him.

"Thank you, Wendy," he whispered, then proceeded to follow Cana into the ice cream shop.

* * *

Daisuke chastised himself for being so nervous. Toby and Yuka hadn't bothered any of his friends all day. He didn't know what that was all about, but he supposed he should be thankful. He had soccer over lunch and made Aki promise to keep Aimi near her, and in extension, Haru and Sora. She agreed readily and he once again found himself admiring her strength. She was amazing in how she always managed to look after everyone. Hell, she was amazing in _every_ way.

He watched her grab her lunch and wait for her siblings as Sora and Mary went ahead to the picnic table in the corner of campus. Mary was telling Sora something funny because Sora was laughing like crazy. He loved her laugh. She hadn't done an awful lot of laughing in recent days. He cocked his head, contemplating Mary's arrival into their lives. It was odd that she'd been at Akane, then suddenly appeared the following week in Magnolia. Lark hadn't said anything about her moving to Magnolia when he'd told Daisuke about her.

He was planning to go see Lark after school to see if he could manage to get him alone for awhile. Maybe he would ask about Mary again. Something wasn't sitting right about the whole situation.

"Cheney! Let's go!" the captain of the soccer team called.

"Coming!" Daisuke called back.

He dismissed his thoughts for now, turning to follow his captain down the hall when he smacked directly into someone, managing to spill her books all over the ground.

"I'm sorry!" she said immediately, "I didn't see you there!"

"Mary," Daisuke offered her his hand to help her up, "Are you okay?

Smiling gratefully, she took his hand, holding onto it once she was on her feet, "I think so. I'm really sorry."

He shook his fingers loose, then stooped to pick up her books, "It's fine - I didn't see you there either...I thought you and Sora were going to the picnic table."

"We were!" Mary said, "I forgot I'd left my books in my classroom."

Handing her books to her, he offered her a kind smile before moving past her to catch up to his soccer team. He frowned. It was odd that she settled in with Aki and Sora so easily. He wasn't actually sure _what_ to think of...but something was prodding him from the back of his brain. Perhaps it would be prudent to make an effort to get to know her better.

Mary watched him go, admiring his muscled back.

* * *

With the dismissal of rounds an hour earlier, Romeo had been dismissed from duty for the day as well, since he had just pulled the night shift at Fairy Tail. But Romeo wasn't about to sleep. He hurried to pay bills at the bank, then B-lined for home to get into the box that he'd stolen… _borrowed._

Somehow, he had managed to get out of the police station with it unseen, placed it safely in the trunk of his car without anyone noticing, and STILL made it to rounds with time to spare. He wasn't sure if he should be congratulating himself or getting a head start on looking for another job…because he would definitely be fired if he got caught. He still had to sneak the box back downstairs without getting caught. The thought made him quiver. He really, REALLY hoped he had the right box.

He drew the curtains on his apartment window and settled on the couch, taking a deep breath. He hoped whatever was in there was worth his job. Ultimately, he just wanted to protect Natsu and his family. Ultra-ultimately, he was sticking his neck out for what just could be another box of nothing.

He felt that Natsu's apology this morning had been heartfelt. Romeo did forgive him, but yesterday's event still confused him. He doubted the answer to that dilemma would be in this box…but perhaps the answer to what really happened to Natsu's wife _would_ be. If it would help his partner figure out his reaction to Dan, then he needed to do what he could to help.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the lid. He reached for the largest item first.

"A manuscript?" he frowned.

 _Angel of Oops: by Lucy Heartfilia._

Why would a book Lucy wrote be kept in an evidence box?

Romeo frowned again, setting the manuscript aside to see what else was in the box. He pulled out a picture. Turning it, his heart started to thump. This was proof, alright…proof that Natsu and Lucy knew each other before they said they did.

His arm was around her and he was nuzzling her nose. It appeared to be in Crocus…a selfie? And the evidence pointed to before Juvia's death since she was grinning behind them, putting rabbit ears overtop of Natsu's head.

Now intrigued, he reached for the next items. They were a stack of letters, from Lucy addressed to her mother.

He set them aside. Some things needed to be respected as sacred.

There was nothing left in the box. That struck Romeo as odd…that a box with so few items would be held as evidence for over 15 years. Still, he had a feeling the clue he was looking for was contained in these few items, so he reached for the manuscript.

He took it to his bedroom, propping his pillows up so that he could read in bed. Grabbing himself a snack from the kitchen, he settled into his covers and opened the manuscript up.

 _She was born into a rich family, appearing to have the perfect life. She had a loving mother and a successful father. She seemed to have it all._

 _But there were circumstances that nobody else saw…circumstances involving tyranny and blackmail…circumstances that would ultimately leave the little girl without a mother and running from her father…and locked in a heated battle with Heaven over being with the love of her life…this is her story…_

* * *

"I've spoken to MacBeth, Michelle, and Racer as well," Makarov said, glancing at Minerva, "They will join you, but they're not happy about it…so I'm sending Laxus and Mira to help as well."

"Hey! This was not discussed with me, old man!" Laxus boomed.

"Shut up, you ungrateful brat!" Makarov snapped, "You've been doing jack all for years! You're already trained to use abilities offensively. If you want to take my position when I go to the stars, you need to start stepping up!"

"I'm ready when you are, old man!" Laxus shot back.

There was a soft glow, announcing the arrival of Mirajane Strauss…and Mavis Vermillion of all Angels.

"I will go as well," Mavis informed Makarov, "I have business of my own to attend to in Magnolia."

"But won't your presence be detected?" Makarov asked, stressing the last part as quietly as he could since the other Angels wouldn't know what he was inferring to.

She nodded, "I'm going to use another blocker to mask my presence. Angels won't know I'm there either. Mira has also been trained in offensive ability. And of course, I have as well. It can't hurt to observe nearby. Plus, I need to know what's going on first-hand. The best way to get the complete truth is to spend some time with the Angels who have been directly involved…so Erik, you and I will have a little chat."

Makarov bowed his head to her, "As you wish."

Erik followed Makarov's example, "I look forward to it."

She sighed, "If we're going to work together, we need to ditch the formalities," she insisted, "Thank you for letting me know how dire this situation is getting, Makarov. But I feel we're going to need to train a lot more Angels quickly. So you need to be right on top of this. Unfortunately, training needs to be mandatory now for _all_ Angels."

Makarov glanced at her, his eyes questioning.

She handed him a list, "This is a list of Angels that need to be called down from the stars. They are specialists in offensive abilities. I need these specific Angels. It will take time to assemble them, so pick at least two teams and get started immediately please."

Makarov nodded, handing the list to Laxus to see.

"The Angels in Magnolia will be first, since they're on the front line," Mavis continued, "Start with the list I've marked 'A'. Tell the instructors they need to report as early as tomorrow. Training will take place in the Nether Plains. That way, time won't pass on Earthland and the Fairy Tail Angels' wards won't go unprotected."

Makarov and Laxus exchanged glances. For an Angel who generally stayed out of the limelight, Mavis knew exactly what to do now. Makarov had seen Mavis in action before and knew her to be a brilliant strategist up until she'd disappeared from active Heavenly duty. It was good to see her back and as brilliant as ever.

She handed Mira a small box, "These are golden keys. Tell the Angels as you hands them out to hold them above their heads and turn the key. Each key is marked with their names on it. The keys will open the doors to the Nether Plains. Their instructors will be waiting for them there."

"When do you want them to go?" Laxus asked.

"First thing tomorrow," Mavis said, "Laxus and Mira...you need to go to Magnolia tonight."

They nodded solemnly. Mavis's face was expressionless, but her eyes were decidedly dark as she heaved out a deep sigh. Makarov wondered if that was her version of 'worried'.

"The incidents are connected," Mavis stated in a low voice. Makarov could have sworn he heard it quiver and he wasn't even sure that she was speaking to anyone in particular, "The murders of the former members of Tartaros and what's going on now with Larcade...they're connected. I'm sure of it. Zeref is getting ready to make his stand. And we need to be ready to make ours."

* * *

Lucy arrived at the school halfway through lunch break. She had gone to the grocery store, hoping to run into that girl again, but the girl was nowhere to be found. The teachers had all been made aware that she was coming, so they would have Lark's homework waiting for her in the principal's office. Then she would go home to see how Lark's walk with Cana was. She had mixed feelings about letting him out of the house for a walk. Lark was extremely tired, evident by the naps he would have randomly in the morning and sometimes in the evening. Sometimes she had to remind him about taking it easy, but she could tell he was anxious to resume everyday activities.

Cana hadn't said much about her sessions with Lark, but she was clearly making progress. Lark seemed to be happy and interactive with the family again, taking part in the shenanigans with a light-hearted attitude. She was dying to ask questions, but she knew, as a therapist herself, that Cana couldn't break confidence. She would have to wait until Lark came to her and Natsu on his own.

As for Natsu, she had promised herself that they would talk one way or another tonight. She needed to know what happened with Dan to make him need her so much the previous night.

She entered the office with a smile on her face, the principal and secretary both rising to meet her.

"A pleasure to see you, Mrs. Dragneel," the principal greeted her.

"And you as well, Mr. Karacka," Lucy replied, shaking his hand.

"How is Lark doing with his recovery?" the secretary, Briar, asked.

Lucy smiled, "Nicely, thank you. He's 5 days into his recovery and driving himself insane with boredom."

"A little homework ought to cure that," Mr. Karacka said, an amused gleam in his eye.

"For sure," Lucy agreed, taking the large bag from him.

"Mrs. Dragneel…" Mr. Karacka beckoned as she turned to leave, "We were just wondering…have any of your other children informed you about recent incidents this week?"

Lucy turned around, her confusion written on her face, "Incidents?"

Mr. Karacka nodded, "Aki and the twins have all been to teachers regarding bullying incidents. They claim two boys from Lark's class _may have been_ harassing them."

Lucy shook her head, concerned, "This is the first I've heard of this...they haven't said anything to me."

"We're watching," Mr. Karacka assured her, "There was a pushing incident in the hallway with Haru…and Aimi says she was cornered in the schoolyard. But so far, teachers haven't been able to pinpoint that these boys are at fault. It's only your kids that are reporting incidents. The boys in question have no idea what they're talking about. Given the way Lark tends to deal with things, we thought it only fair to give them the benefit of the doubt."

She tensed, aggravated that he was insinuating her other children were at fault for whatever was happening.

"I will talk to them when they get home," Lucy stated, turning on her heel, "But if my kids say they're being bullied, they're being bullied. It's unfair of you to imply that they could be at fault for something that clearly you aren't taking seriously. It sounds to me like you're dismissing their concerns if these 'incidents' are continuing to happen. Just because Lark has been in to see you a few times does not mean that my children's worries are not valid - or that Lark is a bad kid and that they must be by extension! I suggest you watch a lot closer. Because if something happens to any one of my children – and that includes Sora Redfox and Daisuke Cheney – I will be going to the school board and telling them just how you deal with bullies in _their school_."

Mr. Karacka's mouth dropped open.

"Have a nice day," Lucy seethed.

She left the office, her anger boiling as she stalked down the hallway.

* * *

"I don't often remember the nightmare when it's over," Lark said to Cana, watching her lick her rum and raisin (imagine that) ice cream. He held his own chocolate ripple in front of him, not really interested in it, "All I know is that I wake up sweating and terrified."

"Why haven't you told anyone about these nightmares?" Cana asked.

"Because I don't know why I have them," Lark stated, "Sometimes I wake up so terrified, I'm paralyzed. People won't understand. They don't understand about Angels…and they won't understand about this."

Cana couldn't argue with him. This poor kid had been dealing with a lot by himself. It was no wonder that he had to find ways to deal with his pent-up anguish. His stunting solution was far from constructive, but she admired him for being so strong on his own for so long. She was beginning to see the larger picture and the inner workings of Lark's brain.

"Tell me about the parts you remember," Cana suggested.

Lark paused for a moment. She was watching his eyes. It was a maneuver Lark had seen Lucy perform as well with people she was counselling. The eyes were the window to the soul…and both Lucy and Cana were masters of looking deeper than the surface.

"There's a man," Lark stated, licking the side of his ice cream since it was dribbling onto his hand, "He's calling me. He wants me to go with him."

"What does he want?" Cana questioned.

Lark shook his head, "I don't know. But I know I have to get away from him. He's dangerous…he's evil."

"Where are you?" Cana prodded, placing a hand on his thigh. He was thumping his leg rapidly, a clear sign of oncoming anxiety. Plus, he wouldn't look at her.

"In a red walled corridor with intense heat," he replied, "It's like fire. It's a cavern."

"What do you do next?" Cana asked.

"I run," Lark replied, "But there's no way out. I'm trapped."

"What does the man look like?" Cana had lowered her ice cream, seeing the explicit fear building in Lark's eyes. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling an intense radiation of peace flow through her. She wondered if there was an Angel nearby. Lark had told her about the way Angels send comfort during the session that they discussed Angels. She had felt the wave before, but hadn't known what it was until that conversation.

"I don't know," Lark said, starting to rock back and forth on his bench, "Can we stop?"

"I want to," Cana told him honestly. With other clients, she could push her own anxieties away...but this was Lark. She didn't like making him anxious...and yet she knew it was necessary, "But we need to work through this."

"I can't," Lark shook his head, "Please…let's just stop."

She placed her hand on his thigh again, "Okay. We'll stop."

Instantly, his body seemed to relax. Cana frowned, wondering just what these nightmares were. He wasn't kidding…they terrified him to his core.

"Lark…" Cana said quietly, "We need to dig deeper into the nightmares if we're going to help you get rid of them…you know that, right? Nightmares are a manifestation of things that bother you during the day...your worst fears. If we can get to the bottom of them, they will stop."

Lark's eyes were avid as he spoke his denial, "These nightmares are different, Cana. These are real."

Cana shook her head, "But that's not even possible, Lark."

"It _is_ possible…because that's what's happening," Lark murmured.

"Could it be a parallel to the fire that happened when you were little?" Cana suggested, "You were afraid in the fire. You heard Natsu calling you and you were terrified."

Lark took a deep breath.

"It isn't that," he told her, "I've thought about that too – that I might have some sort of post-traumatic thing happening because of the fire…but it isn't that. Someone wants me. Someone is looking for me. And it's only a matter of time before he finds me."

Cana realized that Lark was fighting his emotions. She was inclined to believe him, since she knew there was a lot more to the universe than what average humans could sense. More importantly, _he_ honestly believed what he was telling her.

She dropped her cone in the garbage next to her and pulled Lark into a hug. His cone fell out of his hand, splattering on the ground, as he accepted her, hugging her back with his good arm.

"I'm glad you told me," she said softly, stroking his hair, "I'm sorry you've been dealing with this on your own. But you're not alone anymore. I'm going to help you through this…one way or another."

He sniffed, feeling his tears escape their ducts no matter how hard he tried to contain them. People were looking at them, but Cana didn't care. Her boy was hurting. And he'd been dealing with it alone for so long…

"Everything will be okay," Cana promised.

She felt another wave of peace pass through her. She hoped Lark felt it too.

 _The Angel already knew about the nightmares,_ she realized.

"Thank you," she whispered under her breath, hoping Lark didn't hear her, "I'll protect him too."

She felt the wave again, then a tear fall from her own eye.

* * *

Daisuke met Aki, Sora, and the twins out front of the school, happy to see Levy was already in the vehicle, awaiting her still-grounded daughter.

"Are you going to see Lark again today?" Sora asked him, "Or would you like a ride home?"

Daisuke smiled, "I'm going again today. I think I must be starting to miss the lughead."

She laughed, "I don't think Mom will let me do it two days in a row while I'm grounded."

"I'll tell him you wanted to come though," Daisuke promised, "I'll bet you miss him a lot too."

She blushed, running across the street to her mother's car.

Daisuke turned back to the Dragneel kids, his face splitting with a huge grin, "Let's go, Dragneels!"

They all burst out chattering about their day at once. It had been so nice to have a reprieve. Toby and Yuka had been missing all day, not even appearing in class. It had been gloriously quiet all day.

He wondered about that briefly, but it was so nice for everyone to be acting normal without looking over their shoulders that he knew he should put his own anxieties to bed.

Maybe it was okay for him to relax too.

* * *

Jellal and Erza followed the group of Dragneel kids home, their hands swinging as they clutched each other's fingers.

"They're being bullied, you say?" Jellal asked.

Erza nodded, "I intervened yesterday. Aimi was in big trouble. But I don't see hide nor hair of those boys today."

"It's good that things are quiescent today then," Jellal agreed, "But we'll have to watch things a lot closer."

"Levy is watching Sora when she's not with the group," Erza told him, "So I've been sticking to the Dragneel kids."

Jellal nodded, "How do you feel about the offensive training?"

Erza sighed, "I will do what it takes to protect my comrades."

"You aren't afraid?" he asked, then snickered.

 _As if Erza Scarlet was afraid of anything._

* * *

Romeo put the manuscript down, placing his head in his hands as he contemplated what he'd just read. His heart was beating so loud, he was sure it would burst from his chest. His eyes burned from a combination of being awake for so long and the fact that he'd power-read for the last 2 hours through the first quarter of Lucy's manuscript.

He'd read the thing studiously, sometimes re-reading parts twice because of his lack of concentration ability.

But he had an inclination that he would find his answers here now.

At first, he'd been quite skeptical as he read the first chapters. The girl, Ashley, was full of anxiety and self-doubt and really didn't see a way out of her situation. It got deep into the details that lead to her running away with her maid/best friend, Lizzie, first from her father, but then from her ex-boyfriend and his associates.

The parallel flicked through Romeo's mind. Ashley was Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel. It was Jude Heartfilia that had been chasing her. He'd already pegged the psycho ex-boyfriend as Dan Straight, his sidekick was obviously Samuel. The deeper he got into the story, the more he picked out the details of how the public story intertwined with the events of the book. Still, Lucy had done an amazing job detailing how Ashley fell in love with Salamander...his innocence and the way he viewed life. She told the stories in several points of view, covering the angles that she had not witnessed firsthand.

But when he'd gotten to the part where Ashley described her first meetings with the other main characters of the story, her new neighbours, Salamander and Dusty - and eventually Dusty's cousin, Scarlet - Romeo knew he was reading no ordinary story.

Salamander was Natsu's nickname at the precinct. Ashley was Lucy's middle name. He had no clue who Dusty was. He suspected Levy was Lizzie. And by the description of the read-headed woman in the novel...he suspected Scarlet was indeed _Erza Scarlet_...the name of the woman in the picture he'd promised himself to search earlier that day. He would definitely be searching her name now.

It was possible Lucy named her characters after her and Natsu and their friends, but there were other consistencies that Romeo couldn't explain away. His head spun as he read her interpretation of what really happened in Crocus…the Angels searching for the gold bars. He knew that there were gold bars involved with the publicly known story. There were details in the manuscript that were not documented in the regular story.

He couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. He was thankful he had the next day off. He needed very badly to finish this novel and _finally_ understand the real truth of what happened 16 years ago...and the connection it had to the murders that were happening currently.

Because it was all written in the book on his lap. Romeo was damned sure of it.

* * *

Natsu walked the boardwalk of the beach, greeting people pleasantly as he passed. He'd been put on beach patrol for the day, and honestly, it was his favourite posting. Yes, there were the odd things to intervene on, like something drinking their beer in public or whatever, but generally, he got to walk up and down the boardwalk and simply enjoy the outdoor weather.

He'd come to terms with what he'd done yesterday. He knew letting that idiot, Dan, get to him was ridiculous. Dan was an _inmate._ He was sentenced to prison for the remainder of his life with no chances of parole. And his life was threatened by an unknown force, which meant in all likelihood, he was living on borrowed time. As cold as this realization was, Natsu took comfort in that. He would never be anywhere near Lucy again. His taunting was pointless and unfounded. It would not get to him again...not that Dan would ever see Natsu face-to-face again.

He would tell Lucy everything tonight, like he always did. He wasn't sure that she'd like the part about his anger, but if he knew his Lucy, she would assure him that Dan had no place in her heart. Lucy had a way of making everyone okay.

Gray followed along behind Natsu, enjoying the peaceful look on his face. He'd pieced together parts of whatever had happened yesterday. Dan had goaded Natsu into an angry confrontation and Natsu had taken it out on Romeo. While it was concerning that Natsu would react at all to Dan, Natsu was completely calm now. He vowed to stay close and keep an eye on his long time friend. If he lost his temper again, Gray would be there to help any way he could.

* * *

"Something's wrong," Happy said quietly, sitting beside Carla on the Lazy Boy chair.

"How do you know?" Carla asked.

Happy gestured at Lucy, "Lucy is standing in the kitchen...just standing...for like the last two hours. She never does that. She's waiting for the kids because she has something to discuss with them."

"How do you _know_ that?" Carla asked again, a frown crossing her face. She could see Lucy was thinking about something. Her face was blank, other than the redness in her cheeks.

"Because I know my family," Happy told her, "You watch...something's about to happen."

* * *

Lark and Cana arrived at the house at the same time as Daisuke and the Dragneel kids. They greeted each other, all chattering happily. Lark forgot his temporary anguish as he settled in with the kids.

"Aren't you coming in?" Daisuke asked Cana.

"Thanks, but I ditched the old man last night," Cana grinned, sliding on her sunglasses as she opened her car door, "If I ditch again tonight, he'll put a warrant out for my arrest."

The kids laughed, knowing Gildarts' reputation when he was at the police station, and waved to her as she drove away.

The laughter halted as they entered the kitchen, greeted by Lucy, who stood in the kitchen with her arms crossed. They froze.

"Aki, Haru and Aimi...we need to talk," she stated point-blank, "Lark, take a walk."

"I just got back from a walk," he said slowly, noting the light glint of anger in her eyes.

 _This was a switch...normally it was the others that got to walk and Lark was in trouble._

"I'll go with you," Daisuke volunteered, "I wouldn't mind hanging out with you anyway."

Lark nodded, the two boys disappearing out the door, Wendy following them immediately.

"Now," Lucy said, sitting down at the table. The kids followed suit, "I want to know about the bullying...starting with how come I had to hear about it through the Principal's office."

Aki, Haru, and Aimi exchanged glances, Happy shooting Carla an 'I-told-you-so' expression.

* * *

Lark and Daisuke decided to walk on the walking path that wound through the forest behind the Dragneel house. They were walking somewhat slowly since Lark's previous walk had tired him out quite a bit. Lucy had explained that he'd done major damage to his body - and that's why he was so tired - but an hour walk with Cana would never normally make him want to curl up and sleep. Normally, he had energy from dawn til dusk, no matter how much he exercised. His lack of stamina horrified him.

They came across a picnic table.

Daisuke gestured to it, "Sit down. You're exhausted. Lucy is right when she says you'll overdo it."

"Yes, mother!" Lark tried to mock, but he sat down quickly, placing his hands around his head like he was fighting dizziness.

"Are you okay?" Daisuke asked him seriously.

Lark nodded, "I'm fine. It's possible I overdid it today. Sorry."

"Don't apologize, buddy," Daisuke assured him, opening his backpack and passing Lark a bottled water, "We're all worried about you, even if the worst danger has passed."

Lark nodded, gratefully gulping back the water.

"I'm doing well," he promised Daisuke.

"I know," Daisuke agreed, "Considering we didn't know if you'd be coming home after what happened on Monday."

Lark pouted at him, "I thought the lectures were over with."

Daisuke shook his head, "I didn't get my turn. But I'll spare you...on one condition."

Lark glanced at him inquisitively.

Daisuke took a gulp of air...he wasn't sure how his request would be received.

"Tell me what secret you're keeping," Daisuke kept eye contact with Lark as he sat down across the picnic table from him, "and how it correlates with your nightmares. None of this 'it's nothing' bullcrap. I want the truth, Lark...I want to know what Sora knows."

* * *

 _ **OtakuPrincess28 and I are super-excited to announce the addition of wordsaremyspells1331 to our editing team! Thank you to both of you for your undying support and long hours of reading...and re-reading. I'm really bad for adding scenes at the last minute (oops). Anyway, REALLY EXCITED about our editing team! Both ladies are fantastic for bouncing ideas off and both have mad editing skills so we can bring you the best chapter possible with each release! CRAZY stuff coming up!**_

 _ **To EvilQueenLucy, whom I couldn't respond to due to being a Guest Commenter - Thanks for the comment! That little triangle is starting to get interesting for sure! Enraged Natsu has made his appearance...how long will Natsu be able to keep him quiescent? It's impressive that Romeo was able to get out of the way at all!**_

 _ **Thanks to everybody for reading - and keep commenting! I'm really curious to know your thoughts as things get more and more heated!**_

 _ **LUV YA!**_

 ** _~SHANA~_**


	17. Chapter 17

They met on top of the police station this time, since Levy couldn't think of a reason to vacate Sora from the house. All Angels had been beckoned about 15 minutes ago with the promise that this would be a quick meeting. The Angels gathered around Mira, who held the pouch of golden keys. Each key had a name on it. They were fastened with a corded rope so that the keys could be worn around their heads like a necklace.

"When your instructor is ready for you," Laxus told them, "your key will glow. Put the key above your head and turn it and the door that will take you to your lessons will appear."

"How long will the training take?" Gray asked, standing beside Juvia. They held hands. He could feel Juvia's palm sweat slightly…and he couldn't blame her.

"You won't lose much Earthland time," Erik continued, "Your instructors will meet you on the Nether Plains. Time will stand still here on Earthland compared to the time in the Nether Plains. However, you'll be in the Nether Plains for what will seem like a day each. And you will need to sleep afterward. You'll be exhausted. Remember when Natsu was retrained as a police officer? Mavis will make sure each of you retain information in much the same way. Those of us that can already use our abilities offensively will share the duties of looking after your wards while you're gone and until you have slept."

Every Angel showed the anxiety in their faces.

"Do we have a way of knowing ahead of time who our instructors will be?" Gajeel asked.

Mira shook her head, "There was a list that was entrusted to Master Makarov. He's gathering the instructors. Some of them will have to be called down from the stars. Heaven hopes to be ready for you by morning."

"Jellal and I will look after Dan and Jackal tonight, Gajeel," Erik said, "You can go home to your family for the evening. I know you haven't seen much of your daughter lately."

"Or each other," Levy muttered, reaching for Gajeel's hand.

"What about us?" Happy put up his paw, "Will we be trained too?"

Laxus nodded, "Mavis has a special trainer for you. You and Carla will be taught by the same instructor."

Mira began handing out the keys, each Angel placing it around their neck.

"There's a key for you too, Wendy..." she said softly.

Wendy's face paled and she took a step backward. Mira patted her shoulder lightly.

"It's okay. We all decided beforehand that nobody is going to make you," Erik assured her.

Wendy hated that every Angel eye was on her. She hated that once again, she'd set herself up to be treated like the 'baby of Crime Sorciere'. They were making an exception for her...again. Worse, she was letting them. She really _didn't_ want to learn Offensive Abilities.

Her nervousness and anxiety at the whole situation exceeded that of the other Angels. Erik sensed her turmoil and pushed some comfort onto her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"While we're here," Erza stated, drawing the other Angels' eyes back to her, "It's come to my attention that Aki and the twins have become the targets of some bullies at their school. Levy and I have split the duty of looking after them. It's the weekend now, so hopefully the kids won't run into each other…but this _is_ a situation that needs to be watched. I think Daisuke and Sora need full-time guards too. I'll continue to watch over Aki and the twins. Happy and Carla will look after the four youngest Dragneels and Wendy has been looking after Lark."

"I'll take Daisuke," Juvia offered, "I'm usually going between his house, the Fairy Tail employees, and the Eucliffe house anyway. Things are relatively quiescent with the Eucliffes and the rest of the staff. I can focus on Daisuke for a few days until the danger has passed. He's at the Dragneel house tonight, so I'll start first thing tomorrow morning."

Jellal and Erik both nodded their approval, Gray eying her nervously. He would offer to help her, but he was watching Natsu these days. And if recent events proved anything, Natsu had every potential of blowing his lid again. It was his inclination to protect Juvia. He felt the need to shelter her because he never wanted to be separated from her again. But he knew she was a very capable Angel. He had to trust in her…so he didn't protest.

"Natsu had an incident too," Gray reported instead, "He flipped out after a confrontation with Dan and nearly beat Romeo to a pulp."

Gajeel growled, "How did _that_ happen?"

"We were at an Angel's meeting," Gray replied, "And my understanding is that Sting escalated guarding duty as a priority with news of Kari's murder. Natsu volunteered to take the first shift until further shifts got organized. He won't be asked to take any more Fairy Tail shifts. But I don't want to stay here any longer than we have to. It seems every time we turn our backs, something happens."

"I'll look after Natsu while you're training," Mira offered, "It's Saturday morning tomorrow…the Dragneels should all be home."

"I'll look in on Sora and Daisuke," Jellal spoke up, "And make rounds with the Fairy Tail crew, Cheneys, and Eucliffes."

Gray nodded his thanks, as did Juvia, who was secretly pleased nobody had blocked her from taking on a potentially more dangerous role.

"What's going on with Lark?" Erik asked Wendy.

Wendy had faded into the background, content to listen to the chatter. Her face turned red instantly as every eye landed on her for the second time that meeting.

"H-He had another nightmare," Wendy stuttered, "But he's in much better spirits."

"You're doing a good job with him," Erza praised her.

"I'm very proud of you," Jellal concurred, "We should have put you and Lark together a long time ago."

She blushed deeply. Guilt swept through Wendy as she remembered waking up with him that very morning. She wondered how good of a job they'd think she was doing if they knew how he made her stomach clench every time he looked at her…and her knees weak every time he got that mischievous look in his eyes when he was about to tease her.

Thankfully, everyone nodded to her, then turned their attention back to Jellal and Erik.

"After your training, you'll be returned to Earthland," Erik stated, "And then…we just hope it never becomes necessary to use it."

The Angels nodded, each of them hoping the same thing.

There was nothing more to be said for the time being, so the Angels disbursed, returning to their posts until such time that Heaven was ready to begin their training.

* * *

"It's not a big deal, Mom," Aki said as Lucy paced the kitchen. She had a cloth in her hand and was wiping random things around the kitchen, trying to control her anger.

They had just finished retelling the story to her, watching her face fleet in an array of emotion. They were honest with her, not sparing details, although that was against Aki's better judgement since she could see the anguish in her mother's face. Nobody had moved from the table _other_ than Lucy, all too nervous to move a muscle. Lucy was not known for getting angry. She preferred to look at the bright side of everything and served more as a peacemaker than anything else. It was rare to see her so worked up...and it was extremely intimidating.

Erza, Jellal, Happy and Carla entered the kitchen, all of them clueing in to the confrontation.

Lucy slammed her hands down on the counter, " _YES_ , it's a big deal! This has been going on for a week? Were you ever planning to tell us? One of you could get really hurt!"

"It hasn't gotten physical exactly," Haru argued, "They're taunting us…they knock us around a little bit, but we're dealing with it! You and Dad have enough to deal with."

"Daisuke has been protecting us," Aimi added shyly, "There was no need to go to anyone other than the teachers. Yuka and Toby weren't even _at_ school today."

"You're missing the point!" Lucy half-yelled, eyeing her children as she wiped the counter for the fourth time, " _You didn't come to us_. I was blindsided by the principal, who had already sided with those awful boys. I had no defense because I had no clue! So I told him off without knowing any details!"

"You told Mr. Karacka off?" Aimi asked, awed. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

As usual, her comment went unnoticed as Aki stood up, her own temper flaring.

"We _couldn't_ tell you!" Aki seethed, "Don't you get it, Mom? If Lark found out something was going on with Toby and Yuka, he'd do something stupid again! He'll find them and get into a fight or something!"

"That doesn't mean you couldn't come to me or your father!" Lucy yelled. The force of her anger made Aki sit back down immediately, "And don't give me that bullshit that words are any less destructive than fists! Maybe they haven't hurt you yet, but if they're verbally assaulting you, physical violence is going to come next! They had Aimi caged! WHAT DO YOU THINK would've happened if she didn't get away?"

"But I did, Mom," Aimi whispered.

" _THAT TIME!_ " Lucy slammed her hands down on the counter again, " _THAT TIME YOU GOT AWAY! HOW MUCH FURTHER WOULD YOU LET THEM TAKE IT?_ "

The kids' faces were pale, Lucy's increasingly red as she slammed dishes into the sink, breaking a glass. It sliced her finger open, blood immediately emerging. She stared at it, watching it drip into the sink.

"Mom!" Aki exclaimed, "Aimi - go get the first aid kit."

Aimi scrabbled to the bathroom. Lucy's finger was bleeding heavily. Aki grabbed a dishcloth, moving her mother away from the sink and wrapping the digit snugly. Lucy had seemingly gone into a shock-like state, her anger forgotten. Aki guided her to the table, Haru pulling out a chair for her. Aimi returned with the first aid kit, running into the kitchen afterward to grab another cloth.

Lucy let out a deep breath, closing her eyes as she forced herself to calm down. From the _shadows_ , Jellal and Erza pushed comfort throughout the room. Happy and Carla were watching from the edge of the kitchen. Carla noted the horrified look on Happy's face, knowing he would be feeling guilty because until now, he hadn't noticed anything going on either that could indicate an issue with the kids. But _nobody_ could understand Lucy's reaction.

Aki pulled the dish cloth off, noting it was soaked in blood. The cut wasn't deep. It was just…persistent. She used the wet dishcloth Aimi had brought to apply pressure to the wound.

"Aimi, the younger kids will be home soon," Aki said, finding the gauze in the first aid kit. She would have to wrap up the hand as best as she could, "Intercept them. Take them to the back yard."

Aimi nodded, disappearing out the garage door.

"Haru, I need the gauze ready and I need the medical tape cut into strips. I don't think this needs stitches, but it does need to be bound."

Haru cut multiple strips of the medical tape, "Should I call Dad?"

"That's not necessary," Lucy told him, "It's not deep."

Aki and Lucy locked eyes and Aki's heart broke in two. The anger was gone now. In its' place was utter frustration. Lucy's face was really pale and Aki found herself worrying about her passing out.

"Let's go to the couch," she suggested, helping her mother up.

She guided Lucy to the couch, helping her raise the hand so that it would rest above her heart on the cushion above.

"I'm not mad at you," Lucy whispered, "I'm mad that anyone would target you. I'm mad that I was too oblivious to realize something was wrong. I 'm mad that the teachers don't believe you...but most of all, I'm mad that I can't protect you all the time."

She hung her head, her frustration finally dissolving into tears.

"Mom," Aki murmured, "You don't _have_ to protect us all the time. You and Dad have raised us to have good heads on our shoulders. We stick together. None of us ever wander the halls alone. Daisuke makes sure of that. _I_ make sure of that."

Lucy nodded, lost in her own thoughts of another time and another place...the times her father had her up against the wall, screaming at her about how useless she was once her mother was gone. Her cheeks started to burn as she remembered Dan taunting her about how she wasn't actually good enough to be settled with him. She was low. She was filth. She was nothing without Dan. She remembered waking up on the floor more than once, battered and bruised all over her body.

Aki finished bandaging Lucy's hand.

"I'll go start supper," she murmured.

"Thanks, Aki," Lucy replied.

She knew it was different. She knew Toby and Yuka were high school kids. But she knew first-hand how names hurt. She knew first-hand how it felt to be degraded and to lose all hope. It started out as bullying. And she didn't want that for her kids. She didn't any of her kids to ever feel the utter devastation of self-doubt and the sensation of being in an endless tunnel with no way out. She and Natsu had raised their kids to be kind, compassionate, and level-headed. The pain caused by knowing they were being bullied - and not taken seriously - burned her to her very core.

Erza sat beside Lucy on the couch, wrapping her up in a hug. She sent her _presence_ through her dear friend. Lucy didn't know she was there, but she could feel Erza's comfort emanate through her.

Jellal sent out comfort too, nodding to the Exceeds as they both padded out the door to look after the other Dragneel children. He couldn't help feeling a little helpless that there wasn't more he could do.

* * *

Cana had ditched her father again, much to his utter annoyance, but there was something she needed to do if she had any hope of sleeping at night. She was worried…too worried to do nothing.

Lark was making really good progress. Although it was painful for him to recant his traumatic nightmares, she was satisfied in the fact that at least he had gotten the courage together to tell her. It was a massive step, because if she was reading his signals right, she was _the only_ person Lark had confided in about the nightmares.

Vowing to continue helping him resolve that issue, her focus was off of Lark now and onto the other Dragneel children, Daisuke and Sora. The bullying concerned her, but she was hesitant to bring it to Lucy just yet. First, she wanted to know what they were dealing with. The best way to do that was to get more information. Since she'd already talked to Daisuke, she needed to talk to Sora next.

Levy's car was gone from the house when she pulled up. She knew Sora would be home since she didn't go to see Lark today and technically, she was still grounded. Taking a deep breath of air, she knocked on the door.

"Hi Cana," Sora greeted as the door opened.

"Hi Sora," Cana returned the greeting.

Sora opened the door and gestured inside, "Mom should be home soon. You can come in and wait for her if you want. Would you like something to drink?"

"No thanks," Cana said, patting her purse, "I've got some things here if I need it…and I won't be staying long. I'm not here to see your mother today. I need to talk to you quickly."

"Me?" Sora asked, her confusion evident in her face.

Cana nodded, "I'm hoping you won't mind if I ask you a couple quick questions."

Sora hesitated before joining Cana on the couch, "I'll try. Is it about Lark?"

Cana shook her head, "Lark is doing fine with therapy. This is more about you…and Daisuke and the Dragneel kids."

Sora paused, "Daisuke told you about the bullying yesterday."

Cana nodded, "I need to know a few things so that I can help you."

Sora was quiet, her face shrouded with worry.

"Sora…Daisuke didn't give me names yesterday," Cana said, "I need names so I can see if I can figure out what's going on."

"Toby Horhorta and Yuka Suzuki," Sora said right away. She saw no reason to withhold the information, since Daisuke thought it was okay to tell Cana about the bullying in the first place.

"Thank you," Cana said, patting her hand, concern edging on her face, "I saw a lot of interesting things yesterday at Lark's. It was good to see everyone together, but I'm a little worried about you. You're much quieter than normal and you seem nervous. Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"I'm okay," Sora replied hesitantly, "I'm glad Lark is feeling better…and acting better."

Cana nodded, "We're working on it. But I wasn't asking you about how you feel about Lark's progress."

Sora looked at her hands for a moment, "Sometimes I feel a bit scared. My dad is gone all the time because of whatever is going on at Fairy Tail…and Mom is on edge all the time. And I've been on edge all the time because of what's happening between Lark and the bullying. Daisuke has been protecting all of us. I'm usually a lot stronger than this…it confuses me that I need him to protect me. I've never felt so weak before…."

"You're not weak," Cana interrupted, "You're still the same strong girl you've always been. And if there's one thing I'd tell you right now…it's that you're really lucky to have such good friends. Which brings me to my next question…"

She nodded, urging her to continue.

"I did a reading the other day on your group," Cana confided, "And a card came up that concerned me. It said that there's an influence on your group that wasn't there before."

"An influence?" Sora asked.

"Like a new dynamic with alternative motives," Cana told her, "I was hoping you could tell me what's different…what dynamic has changed your group?"

Sora shook her head, "Maybe that Lark's not there?"

"No," Cana said slowly, "This is something different. An outside influence with ill intention."

"Toby and Yuka?" Sora guessed again.

Cana frowned, "No, I don't think so."

Sora shrugged.

"Okay," Cana said, "Just be on the lookout, okay? I'll help you figure this thing out. Do you know where Toby and Yuka's houses are?"

"I think they live together," Sora said, "but I don't know where."

Cana nodded, standing to head to the door, "Leave it to me. I'll see what I can find out."

She paused as Sora stood to show her to the door, thinking deeply.

"Sora…it's not a bad thing to lean on Daisuke right now…but remember your parents would protect you too. You should tell them about the bullying…especially if it's getting worse," Cana said, "And remember that you're strong too. Watch for the influence…and text me when you see it."

With that, she walked out the door, shutting it behind her with a light slam.

Sora stared at the door for several minutes, her mind reeling as she replayed the conversation in her head. _An outside influence_. What could that mean?

* * *

Romeo had dozed for a good hour, but he knew he wasn't going to sleep anymore. He couldn't get the book out of his mind.

Deciding to be satisfied with the power nap, he opened the manuscript to his bookmark and settled into the most comfortable part of his couch to continue reading.

The group was about to leave Crocus. Steel was taking Lizzie in a big truck to transport the gold bars. Julia was returning to her restaurant...

Julia/Juvia...Romeo wondered how closely Lucy was trying to protect the truth when she wrote this manuscript. It was blatantly obvious who the characters were. Parts of the story seemed rushed...like she'd been in a hurry to write it.

Salamander was nervous as Ashley checked out of her hotel room to come and room with him. It made sense to share the room since their friends were all gone. Why pay for two rooms?

Romeo paused. That was the one contradiction in this entire manuscript - Natsu was not ridiculously innocent...nor was he quiet, contemplative, or clumsy. He made friends extremely easily. All the other details in the book were shockingly close to the publicly-released story - but this rendition provided details that weren't in the public record. Incredible, story-altering details that would only be known if the author had first-hand knowledge. He even got a glimpse into the overbearing woman that was 'Erza Scarlet'. He reminded himself to look up her name the next day at work...it was coming up too often to be a coincidence.

He got himself a notepad so that he could start making notes on what he was reading. His eyes were still exhausted. If he did happen to fall asleep, he would at least know where he left off.

In any event, it was only S _alamander's_ character that didn't make sense to Romeo. The Natsu he knew would be bug-eyed at the prospect of being alone with Lucy in a hotel room overnight...with no chance of being interrupted. This Salamander was far too innocent and far too naive to be Natsu. Perhaps Lucy had met someone else before she met Natsu and this was a book about him.

He focused his thoughts back to the book.

In the meantime, with everyone leaving Magnolia, Ashley and Salamander were alone. Romeo found himself forgetting that that he was trying to learn the truth as he got drawn in the romance of wandering the city with Ashley and the man she loved. He was proud of how they both made friends with a couple at the hot springs - not an easy feat for either of them - and then closed the night out with a large win at the casino. Then they went back to the hotel and...

Romeo scrunched his nose...if that character had any chance in _hell_ of actually being Natsu, he really didn't want to read this part. He heard enough about Natsu and Lucy's lovelife _currently_...he absolutely did not need to know about their first time through a book that may or may not be accurate.

But as Romeo skimmed ahead, the next morning described very blatantly that Salamander was trying to tell Ashley something. The first attempt was a bomb, resulting in a fight where Ashley left the hotel room in anger.

Romeo sighed, adjusting his position again so he could read about the fallout of their fight.

* * *

Lark was quiet for a long moment. He could feel Wendy's presence, but she wasn't _nudging_ him. He wondered if she was unsure that telling Daisuke everything was the right thing to do.

"I want to know what Sora knows," Daisuke repeated, "I _need_ to know what she knows."

"It's not an easy thing to tell," Lark said slowly, choosing his words carefully, "And it's not that I'm trying to keep secrets from you. This is something I've been keeping to myself because _people don't believe me_."

"I will too!" Daisuke started to deny, but his voice trailed off at the look in Lark's eyes.

Daisuke nodded, but said nothing more. He wanted to give Lark a fair chance to spit it out on his own. He could see the turmoil in his friend's eyes. Part of him wanted to tell Lark to forget it…the other part knew he couldn't protect their friends unless he knew the whole truth.

"Okay," Lark challenged, "I'll tell you. But afterward, you need to tell me what's going on at school."

"You can't put a condition on my condition!" Daisuke argued.

"That's the condition!" Lark shot back, "You agree to my condition on your condition, or _there will be no conditions_!"

Daisuke shook his head, "Don't make this into a joke, Lark. I'm serious. I need to know what's going on so that I can protect Sora and Aki and the twins."

"I'm _not_ making it into a joke! My condition is just as important as yours. Why would my siblings and Sora need protecting, Daisuke?" Lark asked, staring directly into Daisuke's eyes, "What are _you_ hiding from _me?_ "

They stared at each other, both of them daring the other to break the silence.

Daisuke sighed, "We can sit in this stalemate all day. You told me when you were at the hospital that you would give me an explanation of what's going on with you. Fine. I'll tell you what's happening...but you have to tell me the truth first."

Lark nodded, going back to his contemplative gaze into a tree across the path. His eyes glazed over as he gathered his thoughts. He hated confrontations...especially with Daisuke. They were best friends and rarely disagreed, even when Lark was pulling a stupid stunt.

After a long pause, Daisuke sighed heavily, "Are you going to tell me or not…cuz if you're not going to tell me -!"

"Shut up!" Lark countered, "This is stressful shit! I'm getting there, alright?"

Daisuke normally would have laughed at that, but he could see the anguish on Lark's face and the torment in his eyes. It was as though Lark thought this secret could tear their friendship apart. Daisuke had seen that look before, but he might actually be able to help Lark this time...if Lark would just confide in him.

In turn, Lark could see the desperation on Daisuke's face. Whatever secret he was protecting, it seemed things would only resolve if they were brutally honest with each other. Then they could face both secrets...as the friends they knew they were.

* * *

Natsu finished his reports of the afternoon and sauntered down to Sting's office, a little bit dreading another confrontation. Maybe he'd get lucky and Sting would just talk about today.

"Natsu!" Sting greeted, "How was your day?"

 _So far so good._

"Boring day," Natsu reported, placing the report in front of Sting, "Not much going on at the beaches at all."

"That's good," Sting said, "And how are _you_ today?"

 _Nope...guess not._

Natsu kicked himself. He should've known better.

"I'm fine," Natsu promised, "It was a one-time thing. As long as I stay away from Fairy Tail, I'll be fine."

Sting nodded, studying Natsu's face for a long moment.

"Why do you think you reacted that way?" Sting asked.

Natsu shook his head, "I don't know. It was like his eyes were boring right through me. And he was saying stupid shit. He made a lewd remark about Lucy and I lost it."

Sting thumbed the report that Natsu had placed in front of him, "And what about knowing him?"

Natsu sighed, "I don't know him. There is no good explanation for that."

"Do you think it could happen again?" Sting asked, leaning forward, "The anger, I mean?"

Sting's piercing gaze was making Natsu antsy. He shifted uncomfortably.

"No," Natsu said finally, "I have no intentions of seeing Dan Straight ever again. I've dealt with my anger in healthier ways and I've apologized to Romeo. I've never met him before...and I'll never meet him again. He was playing mind games with me. I'm ashamed that I fell for it. The anger thing won't happen again...I promise."

Sting nodded, leaning back in his chair.

"I'm going for a walk with Lucy tonight," Natsu added, "We're going to talk things over...and we're planning a getaway first chance we get after Dan leaves."

Sting nodded again, "If you feel anything bubbling up, please come talk to me first. I'm not just your chief...you know that."

Natsu paused, slowly nodding back to him, "I know, Sting. Thank you."

"We'll put you on beaches again," Sting told him, "Until Dan and Jackal leave town, I see no reason to stress you out unnecessarily."

"That's not necessary," Natsu started to protest.

"But Romeo will love it," Sting answered, a light in his eye, "Very little paperwork."

Natsu scoffed a bit, "Okay. I'm going home. I'm excited about my walk with Lucy tonight."

"That's a good idea," Sting told him as Natsu exited the door, "Everyone knows your best therapy is Lucy-time."

Natsu waved him off and disappeared.

"He seems normal to me," Erik said. Both he and Gray appeared once Sting had closed the door.

"Today," Sting mused, "Yesterday, he was a different person. His eyes were glazed over…the look in his eye…it was like it wasn't even Natsu."

"I'll watch him closely," Gray promised, disappearing to follow Natsu down the hall.

"I have to go back to Fairy Tail," Erik murmured, "The tension there is thick…and Jackal and Dan are both enjoying pissing off every guard they've got. Sooner or later, the guards will refuse to feed them because nobody wants to interact with them. Except Gajeel. He's just as sarcastic and won't let them push him around. I actually thinks he _enjoys_ shutting them down now and then."

Sting laughed, "I miss working with him every day."

Erik shared the amusement, a smile plastered on his face.

"Rogue is there tonight with Jet," Sting told him.

"And the Angel presence will be Minerva and I," Erik replied, "We'll keep in touch."

Sting nodded, watching Erik disappear. He could see the light glow remnants of Erik's presence. As long as he lived, he would _never_ get used to that. But as long as he lived, he would also never trade his experiences with Erik and Jellal. He knew how lucky he was to have direct contact with Angels. It was a gift...a gift he cherished and would strive to protect.

* * *

Cana entered Fairy Tail, instantly feeling every hair on her head stand on end. She could feel the tension and the anguish related to having Dan and Jackal only just up the stairs. She wouldn't be there long. She simply wanted to get to her office computer and get the hell out. She had a sneaking suspicion that she had a file there that would help her.

"Cana!" Loke exclaimed, "I'm surprised to see you here!"

Cana laughed, "Yeah, well I kind of left a bottle of sake in the drawer of my desk. I've been dreaming about it. Then I'm outta here."

Mest nodded, grinning because _that was so Cana_...take a 2 week sabbatical to avoid a confrontation with Dan and Jackal...then come back for booze left in the establishment, "Come have a shot with us before you go."

Cana nodded, B-lining to her office. She shut the door behind her and switched on the light, letting out a deep sigh. She crossed the room to her computer, switching it on, then reached to the back of her desk drawer to pull the sake to take with her.

She actually _did_ want this bottle...and it had _totally_ kept her up at night dreaming about it.

She threw back her head, taking a good swig of the sake, letting out a satisfied, 'aaaaahhhhh', then focused on finding the file she wanted.

Fairy Tail had limited access to police files and school records. Sometimes Laki used old police files as precedents when she presented cases to judges. The others used it to help profile suspects or locate missing persons when they needed to. The schools kept their student profiles there so that if something happened to one of the students, Fairy Tail would know who they're looking for. Today, Cana hoped to find something...anything that would help her identify her bullies.

She found their pictures almost immediately, frowning slightly. Toby had an elongated nose, huge teeth, and really large ears, giving him a dog-like appearance. Yuka's eyebrows were so bushy, she wondered it anyone had advised him not to smoke...if those babies lit on fire...

Pushing aside her thoughts, she browsed their profiles, comparing their pages side by side on her double screens. The similarities shocked her. Both were mediocre students. Both had moved to Magnolia around the age of 4 and lived at the same orphanage Lark and Sora had been adopted from. Both were born in the month of February... _both had the same address now._

She frowned, leaning closer to the screen, then reached for a post-it note. Writing the address down, she grabbed her bottle of sake, promised Loke and Mest she'd be back for that shot, and disappeared out the door.

* * *

Sora wiped the table, getting it ready to serve the cabbage rolls her mother had made the night before for dinner. She would be home at any minute. It never ceased to amaze Sora these days that Levy still cooked for 3. Her father hadn't been home for supper since the beginning of whatever was going on at Fairy Tail. Since she was at school when he slept, she hadn't seen him in a good few days. She missed him.

The door opened and Sora hurried to get the cabbage rolls out of the oven and onto the table so it would be waiting as Levy joined her in the kitchen. Levy did indeed walk in at that moment...but behind her, Gajeel entered as well.

"Daddy!" Sora exclaimed, "I didn't expect to see you!"

He laughed, "I've been given the night off."

Sora hurried to get another plate for the table, then rushed into his arms for a hug.

"I missed you, baby girl," he whispered into her hair.

Levy smiled from the sidelines, loving the interaction. Gajeel had a reputation for being tough and able to handle any situation. He once arrested 6 suspects on his own, immobilizing them during the confrontation, and then taking them into the police station unaided. But the little blue-haired girl in his arms was the one person who had the ability to turn him to putty. Levy had known it from the first moment he came home after the fire and told her all about Sora.

"I love you, Daddy," Sora responded.

The three of them sat down to dinner together, Sora's smile wide.

"Your mother and I had a discussion today," Gajeel told her, "And we think we'll let you off grounding...under the condition that nothing like this will ever happen again. You don't sneak out. You don't fall asleep under trees with boys...and you don't lie to us."

Sora nodded, not even slightly put off by the fact that this was his discussion opener. That was Gajeel's way...getting the tough stuff out of the way so that they could all relax and enjoy each other's company.

"I'm sorry, Daddy...and Mom. I didn't mean to disappoint you," she said sincerely.

Gajeel nodded, dismissing the subject, "Cool. You're not grounded anymore then. How's everything else going?"

Sora offered him a smile, "I'm good, Daddy."

Levy frowned slightly, wondering if Sora even realized she'd already broken her promise. It was a golden opportunity to tell both Levy and Gajeel about the bullying. Levy couldn't call her on it, though. Not without divulging that she already knew. She had every intention, however, of talking to Lucy.

* * *

Romeo was sitting at the kitchen table now, his eyes wide as he read Lucy's - sorry, _Ashley's -_ torment as she made the decision to go to the docks without Natsu and Levy knowing. She described going out to Gajeel's big muscle car and trying to adjust the seat so that she could reach the pedals. Once at the docks, she found the handgun Gajeel kept in the glove compartment and slowly moved onto the docks to begin her confrontation with Dan and Samuel - Matthew and - _OH FORGET IT!_ Dan and Samuel! They circled her as they exchanged threats and Romeo could literally feel the sweat pouring off Lucy's brow as she threatened to kill herself.

Romeo's eyes got wider and wider as he read the next part, feeling Lucy's confusion as suddenly, the gun was knocked from her hand by a force she couldn't see.

"What the fuck?" Romeo said under his breath as he leaned forward on his table, hanging on every word written there.

Lucy's friends were disappearing, then reappearing. A splay of bullets literally ripped right through them and landed in the water in front of where they stood. Levy's body shielded Lucy from the barrage of bullets, but Levy was totally unharmed. The hand grenades were tossed as the bad guys separated in different directions, blowing the dock to smithereens. Again, Levy shielded Lucy's body with hers, but everyone else went down...and Lucy was convinced they were dead.

Romeo shook his head, going back to the beginning of the section to re-read it..maybe he'd missed something. But no...he was reading it correctly. Bullets don't land harmlessly. And bodies can't be used to shield other bodies and expect to make it out alive.

But it was the next part that blew Romeo's mind...in the next section, the criminals had taken Lucy to the cliff...Levy and Lucy ran to the forest as Natsu and Dan confronted each other. Levy found a tree trunk with a hole in it large enough to hide the girls as Kari came after them, intending to kill both of them.

" _Lizzie..." Ashley begged, "I need answers."_

 _"I know,"Lizzie whispered, "Just sit quiet for another minute. I'm listening for Kim."_

 _Lizzie stayed quiet as she was bid while Lizzie strained her ears._

 _"I think we're safe for a few minutes," Lizzie said finally._

 _Ashley caught her eye in the darkness. The full moon was shedding quite a bit of light at them._

" _We're Angels", Lizzie stated point-blank. There was no point in beating around the bush...Ashley deserved to know._

Romeo's eyes bulged.

* * *

There was no point in beating around the bush…Daisuke deserved to know. Lark took a deep breath, begging with every fibre of his being that Daisuke would believe him.

Lark stared at the ground, praying for strength. Wendy shot a vibe of comfort for him, trying to help with the courage he would need to go through with this confession.

"This won't be easy for you to accept," Lark said. His voice was heavy with worry, "And there's a huge part of me that's worried you won't believe me…so please hear me out."

Daisuke nodded, concern crossing his face. Whatever Lark was about to tell him, Lark honestly believed that this could break their friendship. Anxiety tore through him. That wouldn't happen…no matter what Lark said.

"I can see Angels," Lark said softly. His voice was so low, he wasn't actually sure if Daisuke even heard him. He couldn't make eye contact with Daisuke.

Daisuke froze, his mouth agape as he took in this information.

"Angels…" Daisuke repeated, "As in the double D variety?"

Lark shook his head, managing a small smile at Daisuke's joke.

"I like those Angels too..." Lark conceded, "But I can also see Angels…of the Heavenly variety. I've been able to do it as long as I can remember. It's not something I admit to people. People don't understand. They don't _want_ to understand."

Daisuke couldn't move. His mind was reeling. How was it even possible?

"The day that Brielle drowned," Lark continued, "Sora saw me yelling at an Angel. She couldn't see the Angel, but she could see that I was screaming for her to go away. The Angel didn't take Brielle. She healed her. Sora was devastated at what almost happened…and she couldn't explain it. I…told her my secret to help her accept things."

Daisuke was shaking his head, backing up a step or two, but he still couldn't talk.

"Honestly," Lark sighed, "Maybe it was a relief to tell her. I hadn't talk about it to anyone for years. Please believe me, Dai…I didn't _ask_ to see Angels. I don't know _why_ I can see them. I kept it a secret because I know it sounds crazy. And I'm afraid of losing everyone that I care about over it."

Daisuke was still in a state of shock, his face pale as he stared at Lark. Both felt a wave of comfort pass through them.

"Please say something," Lark said, finally looking up at his friend.

Daisuke shook his head again, his mouth trying to form words. Lark took a sharp breath, realizing Daisuke needed proof of some sort.

"Do you remember when we were 8?" Lark asked, "You, me and Sora were playing in the woods behind my house and we wandered a bit far. We weren't sure how to get back to the house and we were all starting to panic a bit."

Daisuke nodded slowly.

"An Angel showed me the path," Lark confessed, "And stayed with us until the house came back into view."

"I thought you were just being an asshole and knew the way back the whole time," Daisuke admitted, finally finding his voice.

Lark shook his head.

"Shit," Daisuke muttered. He paced in a circle, trying to come to terms with what Lark was telling him.

"And when we were 11," Lark continued, "Remember when Ms. Faraday received the news about her son's car accident during school that day?"

Daisuke nodded, remembering how Lark stuck close to her side before the news came. Ms. Faraday had been worried about Lark, wondering why he'd suddenly become so concerned about her.

"There was an Angel sitting with her for most of that day," Lark stated, "I didn't know what to do. I couldn't help her. I didn't know what had happened…but I knew something bad was about to happen."

Daisuke nodded again, remembering that Ms. Faraday's son's car had rolled down an embankment and he'd been trapped in the car for about 4 hours before rescuers finally found him. Unfortunately, it had been too late. He died of his injuries later that day.

It had occurred to Daisuke at the time that it was strange that Lark had started becoming anxious the 4 hours before Ms. Faraday had received the news…it _had_ been as though he already knew something was going to happen…but was it possible that Angels were involved?

"I don't expect you to believe me," Lark said, solemnly hanging his head again, "But you wanted to know what I told Sora and why. You have your answer now."

Daisuke still didn't know what to say to that, so he moved on to the other part of his question, "And the nightmares?"

"I've had those all my life too," Lark told him, "But they're increasing in intensity and frequency. I can't tell you what they're about…because I don't know exactly. All I know is that they're scary as hell and I can't stop them from happening. That morning at Akane...I fell in my dream."

"On your knee," Daisuke finished the sentence, remembering the tender bruise that Lark had sported that day, "That's not even possible."

"I _know_ it's not possible," Lark sighed, "And yet, it's not the first time I've taken a physical injury after a nightmare. And it won't be the last."

"Shit," Daisuke said again.

"Yeah," Lark agreed, "Shit."

They stared at each other again for a long moment, both trying to read the other's face. Lark was searching for some semblance that Daisuke accepted what he'd just been told. What he saw was confusion...not necessarily disbelief, but definite confusion. Daisuke could see the desperation in Lark's face. He was pale, his voice an octave higher than normal as they spoke. He didn't honestly know if he believed Lark's story or not. In some ways, it made sense. But average people did not claim to see Angels. It wasn't possible. Lark was right in his assumptions that Daisuke would have trouble accepting his story.

"We should get back," Daisuke suggested after several moments of awkward silence, "Lucy didn't want you to go far."

Lark nodded, getting off the picnic table, falling into step with Daisuke toward the Dragneel household. A new, awkward silence ensued.

"I don't know what to tell you, Lark," Daisuke said finally, "I can't tell you I believe you...not because I don't _want_ to...but because it's so unusual."

"I know," Lark told him, "Sora had less trouble because she saw what happened with Brielle. Cana accepted it because she's clairvoyant. She believes in Angels already. I didn't expect it to be that easy with you."

"You still told me," Daisuke said in a low voice, "And I appreciate that."

"Speaking of which...are you going to tell me what's going on at school?" Lark asked.

Daisuke regarded his friend again, noting the fatigue etched all over his face. He was huffing slightly, even though they weren't moving very fast. He was getting better, but Lark had _still_ had a major accident only a few days ago. On top of that, he was revealing life-long secrets to multiple sources. Could he handle another big thing on his plate?

Lucky for Daisuke, he didn't have to answer. Both Lark and Daisuke's phones went off at the same time.

"Sora's done grounding," Daisuke read, a smile crossing his face.

"That's good," Lark sighed, replying that exact phrase back to Sora, "Tomorrow she can come with you. Maybe the 3 of us can chill out for awhile."

He paused for a moment, watching Daisuke reply to Sora too.

"Things have changed between you and Sora," he remarked, "You're…closer."

Daisuke shrugged, turning so that Lark wouldn't see his red face, "I spent a lot of time with her this week when things were going down."

"And what about Aki?" Lark asked, stopping their advance toward the Dragneel house.

"What about her?" Daisuke challenged, "I care about both of them. They both needed me this week. Don't worry. I have no intention of pursuing either."

Lark snorted, but didn't say anything as his cell went off. It was Aki, advising that supper was ready.

"You know, in another year, _Aki_ will be an Angel of the double-D variety," Daisuke quipped.

He started laughing as Lark's face reddened almost like a thermometer, from the bottom up. Daisuke broke out into a run, sensing Lark's imminent attack.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU FUCKER!" Lark yelled, then broke out into a run himself.

In the shadows of the trees, a figure moved to follow Lark and Daisuke. Concealed, Wendy watched the movement. She felt an eerie presence suddenly, making chills go down her back. She couldn't identify the hidden object making the movements, but there was no doubt in her mind at all…

…someone was following them.

She pulled out her cell, texting Jellal her suspicions, then hurried to catch up to the boys.

* * *

"Thanks for supper!" Daisuke said to Lucy as he helped clear the dishes.

"Aki made supper tonight," Lucy told him, "but I'm glad you enjoyed it."

He flashed her a smile, then glanced at Aki, who was cleaning off plates to go into the dishwasher.

"We're going for a walk," Natsu announced, turning to Lark. He was putting condiments into the fridge, "Can you handle things here for an hour?"

Lark nodded, "Have a good time."

"I'll stay a little longer," Daisuke offered, "and help with these dishes so Lark can get the younger kids started on their bedtime routine."

"Thanks Daisuke," Lucy reached for another dish.

"Okay! Brielle, bathtime!" Lark announced in his best big-brother tone, "Connor, you're in the other bathtub please. Mieske and Connor – chores!"

The younger kids groaned, but started down the hall, Lark following them.

Smiling, Natsu took the dish from wife's hand and placed it on the counter, "Let's go. The kids can handle clean-up tonight."

Daisuke waited for the Dragneel parents to leave the room before turning to Aki, "You wash, I'll dry?"

She smiled back, her cheeks tingling pink as she tossed him a dishrag.

* * *

Cana edged around the bushes carefully, completely repulsed at the state of the house she was staking out. There was debris everywhere…old bicycles, furniture, and general garbage littered the yard…and it stank. She found her way to a window, peering inside. The inside of the house was as bad as the outside, much to her chagrin. While she couldn't condone bullying, a pang of sadness struck her heart for the two boys that lived here. _Nobody_ should have to live in these conditions.

She circled around the back, looking for any movement. The house was seemingly deserted. She bit her tongue to keep from crying out as a rat skulked across the top of a woodpile on the other side of the back door.

 _Nobody should have to live like this_ , she thought to herself again. She wondered if the boys were bullying Aki's group because they had stable homes...and Yuka and Toby had to live _here_. Bullying out of envy. It wouldn't be the first time she'd heard that. Furthermore, if Toby and Yuka had been at the same orphanage as Lark and Sora, it was possible they'd never found a home to adopt them.

She bolted across the door to the other window, peering inside what looked like it could be a living room. The garbage disgusted her. She'd seen enough. It was time to go.

She turned on her heel and ran smack into a chest. Before she could react, the person grabbed her wrists, staring down into her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

His voice was husky and sent chills down her spine. He wore a long, flowing robe, which if anything, creeped her out even more.

"I'm looking for Toby and Yuka," she stated, trying to keep her head together, "Please release my wrists."

He laughed. It was a booming, cold laugh that again sent shivers through her entire body, "I don't think so. You shouldn't skulk around places you don't belong."

Cana lifted her spiked heel and slammed it down onto his toe, smashing her elbow back into his nose. He was a lot bigger than her, she realized. He was at least a foot taller with wide, broad shoulders and she wouldn't stand a chance against him if he advanced on her. Being quick was her best weapon.

Cana took off at a run, trying to head to the public street. She made sure to scream at the top of her lungs to attract attention. She felt him grab her shirt, throwing her to the ground. She rolled, grunting with the contact.

He straddled her, looking deep into her eyes. Cana knew she wouldn't get away, so she made sure to soak up a mental description. He had spiky white hair…gray eyes…

"Shut up, Cana Alberona," the man hissed.

"Who the fuck are you?" Cana screamed again, trying to roll out of his grasp, "How do you know my name?"

"Byro Cracy's the name," he told her, spitting in her face unintentionally as he spat out the words. She grimaced. He was so gross, "And we know your name because we've been watching you and your friends for months."

"What do you want from me?!" she screamed, trying to break her wrists free.

He laughed, sending fear through her entire body, "You and me…we're going to have a little talk."

Cana's eyes widened in shock. She struggled, kicking up with her feet as he readjusted his position to give herself enough room to reach down her cleavage. She pulled out a can of bear spray, but before she had a chance to pull the trigger, Byro knocked the can from her hand.

"BITCH!" he yelled, slapping her across the face.

Cana screamed again, praying someone - _anyone -_ was nearby. She bit his hand as he went to cover her mouth, breaking his skin. She scrambled, clawing at the grass to gain some distance.

The last thing she saw was the fist aimed directly for her head.

* * *

Gray was following Natsu and Lucy, holding Juvia's hand as they walked around the neighbourhood.

"It was a blind rage," Natsu admitted as he and Lucy walked along the same path that Daisuke and Lark had walked only about an hour earlier, "I completely lost it, Luce. I literally saw the colour red everywhere I looked. All I could think about was pounding something. I didn't care what. I forgot who I was and what I was doing."

Lucy laced her bandaged fingers through Natsu's, squeezing lightly. Aki had made supper without complaint, but all three of them – Aki and the twins – were extremely quiet through dinner. She knew she would need to talk to Natsu about it. But first, he was baring his all for her.

"What did Dan say to send you over the edge?" Lucy asked.

Natsu was quiet for a moment, trying not to get his anger level moving again, "He told me he 'popped your cherry'…that a part of you will always belong to him. He made it sound like you would be with him given the choice."

Lucy stopped, enveloping her husband tightly with her arms, "You know that could never happen, Natsu. There is no other man on Earthland that could complete me like you do. I knew that from the moment I saw you. We were fated to be together. Dan holds no part of me. None. I belong entirely to you…my dragon."

Natsu tilted her head and kissed her deeply. She had reacted pretty much the way he knew she would. His Lucy. Mavis, how he loved her.

"It doesn't make sense to me either," he told her, "The way I reacted."

"But it sounds like Sting is looking out for you," Lucy pointed out.

Natsu nodded, "Yeah...he's taking precautions. Not sure Romeo will ever forgive me though."

Lucy shrugged, "He's Romeo. He idolizes you. I bet he's already forgotten about it."

"Maybe," Natsu muttered.

They walked for a few moments, simply contented to be together. Lucy loved these walks together. It was their chance to be brutally honest with each other, yet simply _enjoy_ each other.

"What was your dream about?" she asked quietly.

Natsu's face fell. He'd kind of hoped she'd forget about that.

" I dreamt about a confrontation between Dan and I," he answered.

She nodded, waiting for him to go on.

"We were standing at the edge of a cliff," he murmured, "Dan had gun to my head. You were begging him not to shoot me. But Dan was afraid and he knew police were closing in on him. I was trying to convince him to give up...it gets hazy after that."

She glanced at him, not sure how to react. His eyes were shrouded in deep thought.

"Natsu...it was just a dream," she assured him, "I only have room for one man in my heart...one man and 8 kids. He can talk all he wants. He abused me. He went on a murderous rampage trying to get me. I never loved him, Natsu. He shouldn't get to you."

He laughed nervously, "Yeah. You're right."

"It's over now," she soothed.

He squeezed her bandaged fingers, "Yeah. I know...gonna tell me what you did to your hand?"

They began to walk again, Lucy's arm looped through Natsu's.

Lucy nodded, sighing.

"I had a freak out too," she told him.

He didn't say anything, waiting for her to embellish.

"I found out today that Aki, the twins, Sora and Daisuke are being bullied by some boys at school," she told him. She felt his hand go rigid, but he didn't interrupt, "The principal told me when I went to get Lark's homework. Worse, he acted like it was _our_ kids faults. Just because Lark has gotten into a bit of trouble in the past, the principal has got them all pegged as bad kids."

Natsu let out a low growl.

"So when I confronted the kids after school," Lucy continued, "They were down-playing it…like they were fine with it."

She paused, trying to keep her tears at bay, "Dan has to leave Magnolia, Natsu. Neither of us are okay with him being here. I would never normally deal with the kids that way. I had…flashbacks. All I could think about were the times that either my dad or Dan had me backed against a wall…or worse…I haven't had flashbacks in years, Natsu…Dan has _got to go._ "

Natsu halted her, pulling her into his embrace, "Another week, baby…he can't hurt us. Not anymore. Another week, and he'll be gone forever."

She nodded into his shoulder, "I know…"

Natsu growled again, "And as for the kids…who's bullying them?"

"Toby and Yuka," she replied, "But the school isn't doing anything."

"I wonder if they're aware that Aki, the twins, and Daisuke all have parents that are cops," Natsu spat, "Don't worry about it. A visit from the cops to their parents' door will stop this in its' tracks."

Lucy nodded.

"And I am definitely taking you away for a weekend," Natsu promised, "Not just the night. We need a weekend."

Lucy nodded again, "But not until all this is sorted out. I need to know the kids are safe…and I need Dan out of our city."

Natsu kissed the top of her head, then down her face to her lips, "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered. She was currently in the safest place in the world –Natsu's arms. She relished in his comfort, unaware that nearby, Gray was sending out waves of comfort too.

"Let's go back," Natsu suggested, "I'm going to pay a visit to Rogue and we'll take care of this now…tonight."

Lucy nodded, turning with him. A deep sense of relief flooded her. Natsu would make it okay. He always did.

Gray frowned as Natsu and Lucy walked away. He couldn't see anything, but he could _feel_ something. A presence.

"Do you sense it too?" Juvia asked, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Yeah," Gray said in a low voice, "Stay with Lucy and Natsu. Text Jellal and tell him we're getting the same feeling Wendy had this afternoon."

"What are you going to do?" she asked, her eyes wide with alarm.

Gray eyes narrowed, his mind focusing on locating the presence. He could feel it.

"I'm going to smoke them out."

* * *

Daisuke's fingers brushed against Aki's again as she placed a dish in the 2nd sink and he reached for his next item to dry. She blushed, pulling her hand away.

"Thank you," Aki stated, "That's the last one. I'd better see how the younger kids are doing."

"Lark has it under control," Daisuke stated.

A loud snore emanated from the living room.

"Lark has passed out," Aki sighed.

"Can't blame him for that," Daisuke reminded her, "He's still very tired…and he's had a long day."

Aki nodded, wiping the counter around the sink.

"Sora's done being grounded," Daisuke mentioned, wiping his last dish. Aki took it from him to go put it away, "Maybe tomorrow night, we should drag Lark out for a milkshake."

"You go ahead," Aki said, trying to reach the top shelf.

He came up behind her, his chest brushing her back, as he took the item from her, putting it into the cupboard above their heads.

Aki sighed, "Please don't do that."

"Do what?" Daisuke asked.

"Flirt with me," she stated, "You're confusing me. You flirted with me at Akane and again tonight. I was starting to think you actually like me…but then…"

"Then what?" Daisuke asked, guilt already washing over him.

"Then I see you with Sora," Aki backed away from him.

"Sora is in love with Lark," Daisuke stated.

Aki shook her head, "You've been spending a lot of time looking at her lately. It's okay...just don't confuse me please."

Daisuke nodded, "I'm sorry. I'll be honest…I confuse myself. I like Sora – she's my best friend. But I like you too. You're beautiful...and smart...and you always know how to handle everything. I'm really sorry, Aki. I would never hurt you purposely. I'll back off, okay? I've already made up my mind that I won't pursue either of you anyway."

Aki didn't have a chance to respond as Natsu and Lucy came in the back door, chattering loudly about a vacation weekend.

Aki and Daisuke's eyes locked, his pleading for her to understand he would never hurt her. She gave him a small smile, then retreated down the hall to see to the younger children.

"Daisuke!" Natsu exclaimed, "I'm going to see your dad right now. Want a ride home?"

"Thanks…but Dad's got a shift at Fairy Tail tonight. And thank for the offer for a ride…but I'll walk," Daisuke replied, "I need to clear my head."

Natsu nodded, noting the flicker in Daisuke's eye as he glanced down the hall after Aki.

Daisuke waved his goodbye to Lucy, then slipped out the door.

"Something's wrong!" Juvia told Jellal as he appeared outside the Dragneel house, "Gray is trying to determine the source of the presence, but Wendy felt it earlier today. Someone is watching our wards."

"Tell Erza to gather the Dragneels in the living room. Keep an eye on all of them. Get Happy and Carla to help if the little kids need to go to bed!" Jellal called, taking off in a sprint down the path, "And then send out an All-Angels Broadcast to tell them _no one walks alone!_ All human counterparts need an Angel escort! I need all available Angels to meet me in the forest ASAP!"

Juvia nodded, firing off the All-Angel Broadcast first, then spinning on her heels to go help Erza.

* * *

Wendy watched Lark sleep on the couch, loving how peaceful he looked. It seemed he slept very well when he was this exhausted, even through the hustle and bustle and of the Dragneel household. She liked how his face was completely stress-free.

It didn't surprise her that he was that tired. He'd been grilled all day for details he wasn't entirely comfortable releasing. He probably welcomed the peace.

She vaguely heard the conversation behind her between Natsu and Daisuke, then the soft click of the door as Daisuke left the house to head for home.

She was proud of Lark's progress that day, no matter how exhausted he was now. He'd made good on his promise to be open with Cana and then again with Daisuke.

She found herself admiring his features again. The forehead wound he'd sustained was looking better when Lucy had changed the bandage this morning. There would absolutely be scarring, but considering how bad it had been, Lark got off lucky. His hair was getting longer, she noted, lightly stroking it.

"You liiiiike him!" Happy teased, coming out of nowhere.

"Of course I like him," Wendy stated, "It's my job to look after him."

"No, I mean you _liiiiiiiiike_ him," Happy reiterated.

"I do not!" Wendy argued, "And quit being so loud!"

Erza stormed into the living room, "We need to take roll call of the Dragneels. They all need to be accounted for. Happy, Carla – go find the younger kids. I'll track down the elder kids."

"What are you talking about?" Carla asked, a scowl on her face.

Wendy stood up, "What happened?"

"That presence you felt earlier," Erza told her, "Gray and Juvia felt it too. Gray and Jellal are trying to track down the source. But for now, we need to keep an eye on everyone. Go account for the kids please. We'll reconvene in 10 minutes. Nobody goes outside! Something is out there and it's watching our wards!"

Wendy's face drained of colour as she glanced down at Lark.

"Daisuke just left the house – he's walking alone!" she told Erza.

Erza's eyes widened.

"I'm going!" Wendy called over her shoulder, already in motion, "Watch Lark please! Daisuke only just left! I'll bring him back to the house!"

Erza glanced at Happy and Carla, worry crossing her face.

* * *

Gray had _concealed_ himself, edging around the deeper parts of the woods that lined the walking path. His eyes were wide and he found himself breathing heavily with anticipation as he edged toward the source of the presence he felt. The vibe was getting stronger and stronger as he moved toward it. Fear gripped his body. He had no idea what he'd do once he found it.

He picked up a rock, tossing it to the other side of the path, then waited. There was no reaction. Taking a deep breath, he realized whatever was out there was not going to scare easily. If he wanted to know what it was, he'd have to take more drastic measures.

Gray turned solid, stepping out onto the winding path with his arms wide open.

"I'm right here!" he yelled, somehow realizing he'd forgotten to grab a shirt that morning, "Come and get me!"

He heard cackling and the gnashing of teeth surround him, causing him to glance desperately in every location to locate the source of it.

"C'mon, you Son-of-a-bitch!" Gray yelled.

He could hear a screeching sound, then focused to a blur on his left. Screeching out his horror, Gray braced himself against an unknown object, pushing back against it as it collided with his body. It knocked the air out of his lungs. Gray fell to his knees, just as Jellal slid on the ground beneath him, aiming up with his hands. He shot out a beam of pure light, hitting the object dead centre and blasting it back several feet.

Gray pulled Jellal to his feet, his eyes exuding his thanks, then both turned to the object on the ground. It was a man. He rolled to a standing position, hissing at the pain in his shoulder that Jellal had inflicted. His hair was blonde, piled on top of his head in an Elvis-wannabe fashion, his eyes covered by dark sunglasses.

"Who are you?" Jellal demanded.

The man laughed, "That's the least of your problems."

"What do you want?" Gray yelled.

"To distract you," the man stated, his face splitting into a maniacal grin, "If I do a good job, you won't make it in time."

"In time for what?" Jellal demanded.

The man cackled as both Gray and Jellal lunged for him, unleashing a counter-attack.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

* * *

 _ **It is NOT going to be easy to wait an entire week to drop the next chapter!**_

 _ **I need reviews! I'm seriously stoked about this chapter and I'm dying to know your thoughts! Just to give you a little idea...here's a tiny spoiler in the form of one paragraph:**_

 _Daisuke forced his eyes to open, trying to see why that last blow hadn't hit him. A person stood in front of him. She was tiny with blue hair reaching to her her knees. But it wasn't the fact that she was a tiny girl that drew his attention. He wondered how hard the crowbar had hit his head...because no matter how much Daisuke tried to adjust his eyes, the girl was glowing._

 ** _Just added a poll...cuz I'm curious about your ships! I already know who will end up with who...just curious if you have the same ideas!_**

 ** _Have a great week!_**

 ** _~Shana~_**


	18. Chapter 18

_**I apologize for posting the same chapter twice. I accidentally hit the 'Delete Chapter' button when I was in the Doc Manager (insert sheepish grin here). Anyway, please feel free to read it a second time! Sorry about that!**_

 _ **~Shana~**_

* * *

"DISTRACT US FROM WHAT?" Gray demanded, careening toward the man with his fist focused into a power punch.

The man laughed out loud, ducking Gray's punch. He slammed his hands down onto Gray's back as he stumbled, forcing him to the ground, then dodged as Jellal attacked from the side. Jellal regained his composure, just short of tripping over Gray and turned to face the man.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Name's Sugarboy," the man told him, rapidly-firing a slime-like substance at Jellal as they exchanged attacks. Jellal met the slime with balls of light, instantly dissipating the disgusting matter.

"Gray!" Jellal shouted, "I'll keep him busy! Go contact Erik! Tell him he has to find out what they're distracting us from!"

Gray rolled into to a standing position, trying to run off in the direction of the Dragneel household, but Sugarboy was quick. He sent out a massive wave of slime, sweeping Gray up and carrying him several feet away. He was trapped within the slime, trying desperately to escape it.

"Dammit, Jellal! I'm stuck!" he yelled.

"Give me a minute!" Jellal yelled back, "METEOR!"

Jellal's body looked to be on fire with light as he exploded with undeniable speed and slammed into Sugarboy's body. Gray's eyes were wide as he watched the ensuing counter attack, completely immersed in the abilities that both Jellal and Sugarboy were displaying. He felt inadequate. The sooner he learned Offensive Abilities, the better...because he was next to useless here.

Gray knew his special ability had something to do with ice. He could make tiny sculptures with his hands, often using the minor ability to present Juvia with ice roses or hearts simply because she liked them so much. He wondered...could that ability be used offensively here?

He stared at the sludge that held him captive. Struggling was getting him nowhere. He needed to get out and go help Jellal STAT and then they needed to pinpoint whatever incident they'd were being distracted from. He could not afford to be stuck in slime!

Gathering all his power, Gray closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt a freezing sensation course through his veins. It was a powerful build-up. Gray released the energy, envisioning it exploding from all sides of him. It wasn't until he opened his eyes that he realized that was exactly what had happened. Ice barriers surrounded him, making a crackling noise as they emerged from Gray's body, effectively dissipating the slime.

"Fuck ya!" he yelled.

He jumped to his feet again, releasing an ice shot toward Sugarboy, who was pushing Jellal backward. It was a sloppy shot and missed the two men by a good foot or more. He cringed, then figured he'd better punch the guy instead. It was obvious that he had no control over his ice ability and would be much more effective in hand to hand combat.

* * *

Daisuke was deep in thought as he walked home...so deep that he hadn't even realized he'd walked off the main road.

 _Dammit!_ He cursed himself. There was an undeniable attraction to Aki. He'd flirted with her and hadn't even realized it until she'd asked him to stop.

Worse, he'd apparently been very obvious in his developing feelings for Sora. But he couldn't deny those feelings either…he liked _both_ _of them._ He didn't want this. This was Lark's department – liking more than one girl at once. DAISUKE didn't understand what was going on…so how could he expect either girl to understand?

He wondered if Lark had caught on to whatever was happening between Sora, Aki, and Daisuke. He probably had, according to the conversation they'd had earlier.

Daisuke turned his thoughts to Lark's revelations from earlier in the day.

 _Angels_.

It wasn't that he didn't want to believe Lark…it was more that it defied all logic. Angels didn't exist. Angels didn't walk Earthland…and Angels certainly would not allow only one person out of all the tens of thousands in the world to see them. It didn't make sense that Lark would be able to see them and no one else.

The hairs on Daisuke's neck started to stand on end. Daisuke stopped in the middle of the path, his hand covering the suddenly sensitized spot. He turned around in a circle, then started laughing at himself. Since when was he nervous to walk home alone at night? Especially in _this_ neighbourhood.

Getting back to his thoughts, he wondered about the possibility of _believing_ Lark. Could he give him the benefit of the doubt? The fact that Angels didn't actually grace Earthland crossed his mind again. It was too complicated. Daisuke realized treating it that way would only insult the trust that Lark put into telling him in the first place. He sighed. Lark had been right. As much as Daisuke _wanted_ to support him and _wanted_ to believe him…he just couldn't.

He heard a branch break beside him. Again, all the hair on his neck rose.

"Hello?" he called out, feeling slightly foolish.

Another twig snapped…in the opposite direction.

Daisuke tensed, unclear what to think. But he was nervous enough that he knew he needed to get out of there. If it was a wild animal, it would be a mistake to run. He walked at a steady pace, glancing around him as he veered to join the street adjacent to the path.

Now the sounds were in front of him, so he tensed, grabbing a moderately large branch from the ground beside him.

Toby came out from one side of the bushes, Yuka from the other.

"We can do this one of two ways," Toby told him, "Come with us quietly...or _not_."

Daisuke froze momentarily, then turned on his heel, preparing to dart the other way. He froze again, noting 3 men behind him, all sporting crowbars.

He liked his chances of getting through Toby and Yuka better.

Daisuke dropped his pathetic stick and burst forward, thankful for his years of training in soccer, as he dodged both Toby and Yuka and propelled himself down the path.

"After him!" Toby bellowed.

Daisuke didn't have to turn around to know that all 5 followed him. He could hear the galloping footsteps behind him as he raced for the street. It would be harder for them to corner him in public.

"That's far enough, boy!"

A large man stepped into Daisuke's path, effectively blocking Daisuke's escape route. Daisuke's eyes went wide, turning to look behind him for a moment...wasn't that man chasing him a second ago?

There were only 4 people behind him now. How?

He didn't have time to mull it over. Daisuke glanced for an alternative route...knowing the only option was to delve further into the forest. He didn't like that option...but it was the only one he had.

He veered to the right, hopping over a large log that blocked the other path and let out a thankful cry as he realized his maneuver had slowed his assailants' advance.

He pulled out his cell phone, typing out '911' to All Recipients and was about to hit 'send' when he was forcefully tackled from the side. The impact threw Daisuke at least 5 feet away to the ground. He hit the ground with resounding force, then rolled several feet to a stop. His cell phone was gone. Daisuke needed a new plan.

* * *

"Jellal and Gray aren't back yet," Juvia told Erza nervously, "Something is wrong. I need to go back out there."

Erza caught her wrist, "You need to help me protect the Dragneels. Whatever is out there has a plan. We need to get the Dragneels together and believe that Jellal and Gray can handle it."

Juvia nodded slowly, noting Happy and Carla's wide eyes. They had returned with the youngest children in tow, having used _compel_ to get them all into the living room.

"Wendy has gone after Daisuke," Erza told Juvia, "It concerns me that they aren't back yet either."

"What about Sora?" Juvia asked, her eyes wide.

"Gajeel and Levy should both be at home," Erza said slowly, "but I think it's prudent for us to make some phone calls and find out what the hell is going on."

Juvia nodded, just as a response from Erik came through.

 _ERIK: I'm at Fairy Tail. I'm getting Gajeel to come in to look after Dan and Jackal and I'm on my way to see about Gray and Jellal's situation. Don't let the Dragneels out of your sight._

 _ERZA: We have another problem...Wendy went after Daisuke almost 20 minutes ago. She was going to bring him back to the house and they aren't back yet._

 _ERIK: Shit. Okay - stay there. I'm on my way._

* * *

Natsu had felt an odd nudge...putting the idea into his head that he wanted to spend more time with his entire family. He didn't understand the impulse, but he wasn't going to argue it either. Spending time with his and Lucy's kidlets was one of his favourite pastimes.

The youngest were already there, surprising him, but again he did not dwell on it.

"What's going on?" Lark asked, sitting up slowly after his nap.

"Family movie?" Lucy suggested. She had no clue why those words had just exited her mouth...it was bedtime. The younger kids had already been asleep. Yet, there they were...all gathered in the living room at almost 9:00 at night.

She supposed it was Friday...

Natsu crossed the room to the Lazy Boy chair, opening his arms for anyone who wanted to join him. Immediately, Brielle and Connor obliged him, cuddled into either side of him gleefully.

"How about Charades?" Hansuke suggested.

"Only if you and Mieske aren't on the same team!" Connor called out, "You two hang together so much, you always know what the other is doing right away!"

"And Haru and Aimi can't be on a team!" Mieske piped up, "They have that weird twin psychic connection!"

Aimi and Haru exchanged glances, laughing. If they didn't know they were twins, they'd have trouble believing it themselves. They had virtually nothing in common and their relationship was no different than the relationships they shared with their other siblings.

"Do _we_ know about this mysterious connection?" Haru asked.

"And Momma and Daddy can't be on a team!" Brielle piped up, "They have a weird psychic connection too!"

The family started laughing as everyone nodded and hummed their agreement to that statement. Natsu and Lucy both pouted, dramatically reaching out for one another as they were physically separated by the twins.

Natsu and Lucy both lit up after a moment, declaring themselves team captains if they couldn't be together. They split the family into teams.

The game was fun and lively...but it also kept the entire family completely oblivious to the chaos brewing in the shadows of their home.

Erza was nervous. She could feel the ever-growing presence of _something._ Erza checked the windows to the house, making sure they were all locked and the curtains closed. Happy and Carla stayed in the room with the family while Juvia tried to text Gray.

"No answer from Gray," Juvia reported to Erza as they reconvened in the living room, "Or Erik...or Jellal...or Wendy."

"What in the hell is going on?" Erza muttered, narrowing her eyes as she watched the Dragneels play their game.

Connor was mimicking boobs with his hands and dancing.

"COCONUT BRA!" Mieske yelled.

"YES!" Connor screamed, jumping up and down, "The word was 'coconut'!"

The boys high-fived each other as Aki showed the word to Haru beside her, both bursting out laughing.

The word was actually 'gymnasium'.

Juvia shook her head, then tried texting Levy.

* * *

Romeo finished the manuscript, letting out a long, deep sigh. He left the couch, going straight to the cupboard. He pulled out a bottle of rum. As he reached for the Coke, he paused, then left it there, reaching into the freezer instead for a couple ice cubes. He paused, deciding against that idea too, then chugged the rum straight from the bottle.

Now he knew the secret. It was an _impossible_ secret...but he knew it nonetheless.

 _Natsu. Gajeel. Levy...they're Angels...and Sting and Rogue know it._

He'd also gotten his answer as to why the Salamander in the manuscript was so different than the Natsu he knew...his memories were wiped. He was made human.

Romeo shook his head, taking another long swig of the rum. It was unbelievable...and yet, Romeo knew it was the truth. There were too many details that tied the entire incident together for him. Too many details that were not in the public record that nobody else knew...

The hand on Lucy's shoulder...it _had_ been Natsu's. Natsu _did_ meet Juvia Lockser...before she'd been taken to Heaven when she died. Could she be an Angel now too?

The incidents at the cliff...no public record ever mentioned Natsu, Lucy, and Dan going over the cliff...or the fact that all three had survived the horrendous drop because the purity of Natsu's choice allowed him to spawn wings just in time to save them. They never mentioned the trial in Heaven where Natsu fought for the right to be with Lucy. Romeo was overwhelmed. He'd always been proud to work with Natsu Dragneel...now he could see Natsu as no less than a true hero.

The doorbell sounded. Romeo jumped - he wasn't expecting anyone. Putting his rum bottle away for a moment, he could feel the effects of the potent concoction already reaching his head. He stumbled to the door, opening it with a half-smile.

"Romeo..."

Chelia's eyes were wide as she took in his bedraggled appearance. It was obvious he hadn't showered in awhile. His hair was messy between the bed head of trying to get a little sleep and the fact that he'd binge-read the entire manuscript in pretty much one single sitting. The evidence of his binge was all over the living room...candy bar wrappers...chip bags...pop cans were strewn everywhere.

"I...just came to see if you're okay," she said, looking around his shoulder into the destroyed living room, "Romeo...you're really taking our break-up hard, aren't you?"

She pushed past him, sighing heavily as she noted the mess only got worse the further she ventured into the house.

He didn't say anything as she waved her hand in front of her nose, "And you've been drinking."

"Chelia..."

"I've been thinking about you a lot too," she interrupted, "I like our friendship...but I know we could be so much more. Maybe you're thinking along the same lines?"

Romeo let out an unexpected hiccup, chastising himself silently for swigging the bottle back so quickly.

"Oh, Romeo," she said sullenly, pulling him into a hug.

"It's not like that, Chelia," he finally spit out, pushing her back a step, "I mean, I miss our friendship, but I was serious...I don't want a relationship right now."

She didn't even hear him, immediately entering the living room and gathering wrappers and bottles in her hands. "Go have a shower. We'll talk when you're done."

His eyes flew open as he realized the manuscript was right beside her.

"Actually, Chelia - I'm tired," he stated, coming around the couch so he could guide her back to the door, "Thanks for coming by. I'm okay. I think we both need time to think."

Her face fell, "But..."

"I'm good. I promise," he told her, pushing out the door, "I'll call you tomorrow."

He closed the door in her face, sighing when he finally saw her silhouette head down the stairs and back to her car through the textured window.

"Okay, Romeo," he said to himself, going back to the cupboard for his rum bottle, "You know the secret...so now what?"

* * *

Jellal and Gray were desperately tag-teaming to try and gain control of their fight with Sugarboy. It wasn't that Sugarboy was particularly strong, but it had been years since Jellal had used his abilities offensively...and Gray had never done so at all.

"What's your objective!?" Jellal demanded again, dodging a huge slime ball.

Sugarboy was having fun, dodging between the two attackers. He'd slimed Gray a second time and Gray was still struggling to get out.

"I can't tell you that!" Sugarboy exclaimed, "That would ruin all the fun!"

Jellal and Sugarboy locked arms, both pushing against each other with all their strength. Gray was trying to summon some strength to blow the slime off of him again, but he was having trouble channeling the ice like he had that first time.

"Let's just say this!" Sugarboy plowed Jellal in the stomach, sending him backward, "You won't be the only Angels testing your pathetic abilities tonight!"

"Is that the objective?" Jellal demanded, "To test us?"

"I already told you," Sugarboy sent a river of sludge at Jellal, barely missing him, "There's no fun in telling you everything."

"Gray!" Jellal yelled, his frustration evident as he dodged another attack. He wouldn't be able to turn his back long enough to send a message, "Get the hell out of that slimeball and tell Erik he needs to protect the others!"

"I'm trying!" Gray shouted back, "I've been trying for the past 10 minutes!"

Jellal mustered a giant light ball, blowing Sugarboy backward and pulled out his own cell, madly typing in his message. Sugarboy slimed the phone. He was back on his feet and advancing.

"You just don't stay down, do you?" Jellal demanded.

Jellal focused a light beam and blew the slime off of Gray enough that he could get out of the slimeball he'd been swimming in for the past several minutes.

"GO!" Jellal demanded.

This time, there was little Sugarboy could do to prevent Gray from getting away. He dodged the slime attacks, disappearing down the path and fast as he could.

He glanced back to Jellal, cackling, "And then there were two."

* * *

 _I have to get up._

Daisuke forced himself to his feet, staggering at first, then desperately searched his surroundings for a way out. The men surrounded him, closing in. He grabbed another stick...a poor weapon against crowbars, but the only option he had at the moment.

Swinging it wildly, he made contact with the jaw of the dark-haired man, but he hit the ground on his knees again the next minute. He didn't even know who hit him.

"You should've just come peacefully," Yuka tsked.

The purple-haired man scoffed, "I'm glad he didn't."

The other men chuckled.

The purple-haired man approached him, knocking Daisuke's branch out of his hands with his crowbar. His dark purple hair had a white streak in the bangs, reminiscent of someone Daisuke had met before, but he couldn't concentrate on that now.

"Hold him," the man ordered.

The other two men each grabbed an arm, holding the struggling Daisuke back as the man delivered a hard punch to his stomach.

Daisuke felt pain explode from his side as a crowbar smashed into him following the initial punch. He fell to his knees again, desperately gasping for air, the two men still holding his arms back. Pain spread through his body. He refused to make any noise...he would _not give them the satisfaction_.

The purple-haired man lifted Daisuke's head, forcing him to look at him.

Daisuke spat, hitting the man in the eye. The man swore, then swung at Daisuke again, connecting with the side of his face with the crowbar.

Wendy texted her location to Jellal, watching the men surround Daisuke. Wendy gasped, begging Jellal to hurry up with the other Angels.

She panicked as the man began pummeling Daisuke's torso over and over. Her mouth dropped open in absolute horror.

Wendy couldn't wait for the other Angels to arrive...she had to intervene...now.

Stepping out of the clearing, she made herself visible, "STOP!"

Two of the men looked up, but the third continued his assault on Daisuke.

"I SAID STOP!" she screamed.

She felt an enormous energy pulse escape out of her mouth as she screamed the word 'stop', landing between the man who assaulted Daisuke and the man on Daisuke's left, blowing them both back several feet. Toby and Yuka's faces paled, both of them scrambling to leave the scene. Her eyes widened - what had she just done?

Feeling very tiny against the huge men in front of her, she slowly raised her fists like she was going to fight them.

"Well, what have we got here?" the white-haired man scoffed, "A little girl who thinks she has pipes!"

Wendy assumed the fighting stance she'd seen Jellal do once, panicking because she had no clue what her plan was.

 _Stall. Stall until the other Angels arrive._

She briefly wondered about the energy pulse again, but didn't know how she'd done it the first time. Anger coursed through her as the purple haired man turned back to Daisuke. The anger seeped into her blood, taking over her entire body. She could feel the energy flowing through her. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes began to glow red.

"What the fuck?" the dark-haired man demanded, "She's not human! She's one of _them!"_

A wind began circling the men, gaining speed until it trapped all three men and Daisuke within it.

"Good," the purple-haired man grinned wildly, chucking his crowbar to the side. He didn't even flinch when it embedded into the side of the tree 20 feet away from him, "Then there's no reason to pretend."

His eyes started to glow too.

 _They're demons!_ Wendy realized, wide-eyed.

Wendy realized she had to be quick, _before_ he had a chance to expel whatever attack he was planning. She closed her eyes, concentrating with every fibre of her being. A wind began circling all three men, gaining speed until it trapped them inside.

"What the fuck are you doing?" the white-haired man screamed at her, "Hughes, I can't _nullify_ her ability!"

The purple-haired man...now identified as 'Hughes'.

"Get away from him," Wendy ordered.

She felt a swirl of power infuse her body, channeled by her anger and her desire to protect Daisuke. She was unaware, but her entire body began to glow, her hair whipping wildly in the wind that she was creating. One of the men charged her, but she blocked the attack before he could get to Daisuke. She didn't know _how_ she was doing this...it was instinct. All she knew was that _she_ _had to protect Daisuke._

Daisuke was on the verge of losing consciousness, so he really didn't understand what happened next. He sunk to the ground, awaiting his imminent death one minute. The next, he was aware of a different brawl going on around him.

He saw images - shadows really - of someone attacking the men. His body was wracked with pain. He willed himself to get up, but couldn't. He knew he was bleeding in multiple places, but his side was the most excruciating. He could feel the heat leaking onto the ground, forming a warm puddle around his abdomen.

 _I have to get away._

He groaned, trying to push himself off the ground, but realized quickly, he would not be successful. He had broken ribs at the least...possibly worse.

Glancing up, he tried to pinpoint his hopeful rescuer.

At first, he thought she was a child. She was so small...just a lone girl. She had blue hair reaching to her her knees, but he couldn't see her face...only that she stood between Daisuke and his aggressors.

But it wasn't the fact that there was a tiny girl fighting three men twice her size that drew his attention.

He wondered how hard the crowbar had hit his head...because no matter how much Daisuke tried to adjust his eyes...

... _that girl was glowing._

She was mesmerizing as she blocked an attack coming toward him. For a moment, Daisuke forgot he was in imminent danger. Who was she? And how was she protecting him?

She turned, locking eyes with him momentarily, her dark eyes wild with fright, "RUN, Daisuke! Don't wait for me. I'll be okay! _JUST RUN_!"

"Are you one of Lark's Angels?" he asked in awe.

"GO DAISUKE!" she yelled, "RUN!"

Daisuke snapped out of his stupor, realizing the danger was very real as the men started moving toward the small girl. He tried to get to his feet, collapsing again with the severe pain in his side. Panic set in as he could see the men struggling to break whatever it was that the girl was doing. He forced an arm forward, clawing desperately at the ground to pull himself forward to a nearby tree trunk and used it to try to pull himself to his feet.

The wind increased, catching the men and whirling them into the air like dolls. Wendy had no clue how she was doing this, but asking 'how' was not important at the moment. _She had to protect Daisuke._

She moved the tornado over about 5 feet, away from Daisuke. The entangled men were trying to break free of the wind that spun them in circles. She glanced to Daisuke briefly, noting he was still trying to get up, but he paused when they locked eyes.

"WATCH OUT!" Daisuke screamed.

The momentary lapse in concentration broke the whirling wind, all three men hitting the ground with a thud.

"Get out of here," he exclaimed, fear in his eyes, "I can't get up - GO!"

"I'm not leaving you!" she told him firmly.

They were disoriented. Wendy ran to Daisuke's side, trying to force healing into the side of his body while their attackers were distracted. She had no time, so she tripled her efforts to get as much in as possible in a short time frame. Daisuke's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he passed out from the surge of magic.

"Shit!" Wendy gasped, "C'mon, Daisuke...don't do this to me now!"

She tried to lift him over her shoulder, falling backward with his dead weight.

" _C'MON_!" she yelled in desperation. The men were stirring, trying to get up, "Please Mavis! I really need some help right now!"

She closed her eyes, begging Heaven for the strength and forced his body up, bringing his arms over her shoulders and resting his body on her back. Daisuke had gone limp.

She started to move. She wouldn't have much time...but she didn't _need_ much time. All she had to do was keep Daisuke out their hands until the other Angels arrived.

* * *

Gajeel hugged his wife and daughter, noting the stress in both of of their eyes.

"It'll be okay," he promised, "They just need extra eyes at Fairy Tail tonight."

"What's going on, Gajeel?" Levy begged, "Please tell me there's not evidence that there could be an attack tonight."

He showed her his phone - the text message Wendy had sent to Jellal had been forwarded to all available Angels. Gray and Jellal were currently locked in a battle with an unknown force. The Angels were presumably under attack...which meant Erik had to leave Fairy Tail and needed Gajeel to assume the position of guard.

Her face paled as they made eyes contact with each other. Sora glanced between her parents' faces. She had no clue what was going on, but they could not hide their stress from her.

"Stay with Sora," he ordered, nuzzling Levy's neck, "Don't leave the house."

Levy nodded, kissing his cheek as he turned to Sora.

"I'm sorry, Baby Girl...I was really looking forward to spending the evening with you," Gajeel turned to Levy, "You'll tell Sting?"

Levy nodded, already reaching for her phone.

Sora's eyes were wide as she took in his worried face, "Daddy...what's going on?"

He kissed her cheek, "Nothing you need to worry about, baby."

He gave a final wave and disappeared out the door.

Levy had her phone to her ear, pacing in circles nervously as she waited for Sting to answer.

"Mom?" Sora demanded, "What's going on?"

Levy shook her head, indicating she was making a phone call and effectively halted any chance of conversation.

Sora huffed out her frustration, heading back to her room with a slam of the door. It really pissed her off when her parents got all secretive in front of her. She knew as Fairy Tail employees, some things were confidential...but why they'd converse like that in front of her, she really didn't know. Falling backward onto her bed, she grabbed her IPod and stuck her headphones on, tuning out of the world.

In the _shadows_ , Mirajane glanced toward the living room where Levy paced, talking to Sting. She looked up at Laxus, who had just received a text from Erik detailing what Wendy had managed to tell him.

"Erik and I are going after Wendy," Laxus told her, "Stay here with Levy. Erik is going to meet me there."

Mira nodded, sitting on bed beside the oblivious teenager as Laxus disappeared.

She offered a prayer to Mavis. Nobody seemed to know what was going on.

* * *

Gray _transported_ into the Dragneel household, noting Erza, Juvia, Carla and Happy were all in the living room, each in a different corner. The Dragneels were playing a heated game, which Gray didn't even take the time to acknowledge, more concerned with immediate issue at hand.

"Where's Jellal?" Erza demanded when she noticed his presence.

"The being said he was a distraction," Gray told them, "They're trying to divert our attention, but we don't know what from. Jellal told me to get help finding out what's going on and he'll take care of the being we ran into."

Happy and Carla came closer so that they could listen too.

"Being," Happy repeated, "What - like a mutant frog? What are we dealing with?"

"No," Gray told him sternly, "There are no mutant frogs - that's just ridiculous...I'm thinking he's a demon."

"A demon," Carla whispered.

"Laxus and Erik are going after Wendy," Erza said, "Gajeel is taking Erik's place at Fairy Tail and Mira is with Levy to protect Sora. Go back and help Jellal. Things are taking too long. We'll keep the Dragneels safe."

He nodded, turning to run out the door again, but halted in a sudden stop, all Angels and Exceeds exchanging glances as the lights began to flicker and the house began to shake.

The Dragneels paused their game, everyone looking to the ceiling.

"Earthquake?" Aimi asked softly.

* * *

Levy and Mira sat in the living room together, both sipping a new herbal tea that Levy picked up specifically for visits from Angels who didn't often get to sample Earthland tea.

"I feel guilty for staying here," Levy admitted to Mira, "I have a horrible feeling I can't get rid of. I know our friends are in danger...and I'm here protecting my own daughter, who is probably the safest amongst all of our Earthland friends."

"It's okay to be worried," Mira assured her, "I'm worried too. I'd like to know what's attacking Gray and Jellal and why...and where the hell is Wendy? Sora was...really mad...huh?"

Levy shrugged, "She'll get over it. She usually does after an hour or so on her own. It just...is what it is. It's not as though Gajeel and I can tell her the truth," she paused, lowering her voice and attempting to make it very gruff, " 'We're Angels and we have to go save the world...please wait in your room until we say it's safe! Gihehe!' "

Mira tried not to giggle at Levy's impression of Gajeel.

"Most teenage girls aren't raised by Angels," Mira agreed, successfully maintaining her straight face, "I'm sure there's a lot of things that happen that she doesn't understand."

"We've been very careful," Levy told her, "She doesn't even know there's beds in the attic for Gray, Juvia, Er-."

Mira stilled, glancing around the room. Levy watched her face drain of colour.

"What is it?" Levy asked, fear passing through her. She stood because Mira stood, glancing around her desperately for any signs of whatever was freaking Mira out.

The feeling hit Levy full-force too. It was an evil presence...and it made Levy sick to her stomach. It surrounded them, sucking them both into the fear.

"Sora!" they both yelled at once, breaking into a run for Sora's room.

* * *

The men regained their senses and continued their pursuit. Wendy trudged forward, determined to keep going. Daisuke's weight was heavy on her back, but she needed to keep him moving until the other Angels arrived.

 _Please let there be other Angels coming..._

She could feel strength far beyond her own supporting her endeavour to get Daisuke out of there and she knew Mavis had heard her.

"That's far enough," a new voice said from in front of her.

Wendy froze, looking at the new person - a young girl no older than Wendy. She had brown hair and brown eyes. Wendy would guesstimate that she was no fighter either, due to her slim stature.

"We won't harm him anymore," the girl told her, "But we do need him."

"I'm not handing him over," Wendy growled.

"You have no choice," the girl told her.

Her eyes started to glow. Wendy panicked, knowing she couldn't get out of the way in time to keep Daisuke from taking further damage. She cringed, closing her eyes and waiting for the inevitable impact of whatever the girl was about to do.

And that's when Laxus appeared. He materialized right in front of her, taking the brunt of the blow the girl was about to deliver. He emitted a white lightning bolt from his hand, knocking her back against a tree.

The other three men had regained their senses, attacking all at once as Laxus and Erik attacked.

"Keep going, Wendy!" Laxus ordered her, "We'll take care of these goons."

"You're making a big mistake," the girl warned Erik as he advanced on her.

"Correction," Erik stated, " _YOU_ made a big mistake."

Chaos erupted, Wendy barely able to follow the fight as she trudged on with Daisuke on her back. She could hear the cracks of thunder and the flash of lightning that Laxus was using, followed by the darkening of shadows from Erik. She realized Laxus's ability had to do with lightning...and he knew _exactly_ how to use it. She'd heard Erik say his ability was poison-related at one point in the past, but she didn't have time to watch him now.

Wendy turned her focus back on getting Daisuke back to the Dragneel house.

* * *

"What was that, Momma?" Brielle asked, shrieking as she buried her face in Lucy's shoulder.

The house shook violently, knocking the Dragneels around. Natsu glanced up, knowing there wasn't enough door jams in the immediate area that he could keep proper tabs on his family. They were better to stay together.

"Get them away from the windows!" Erza yelled, _compelling_ Natsu and the twins to the centre of the room.

Carla mewed, trying to get Lucy and Brielle's attention and also moved to the centre of the room.

"Floofy!" Brielle exclaimed.

Carla pushed into Brielle's legs, facing the windows of the living room.

Gray glanced at Juvia, then Erza as the three Angels and two Exceeds backed the remaining Dragneels into the centre of the room.

"Shh!" Gray soothed the group, sending comfort into their bodies, "Just stay still."

Natsu held the children behind him as he focused on listening.

Lark's stomach turned, like he was going to throw up. He could feel a presence nearby...and it was no Angel.

"Wendy..." he whispered, not actually caring if anyone around him heard him, "Are you here?"

"Get your heads down!" Natsu yelled, pushing everyone into the centre of the room. The Dragneels did as they were told, scrambling to their knees as Natsu threw his body overtop of the smallest children, Lucy falling overtop Mieske and Hansuke, just as the windows shattered. The house shook even more violently, but outside the windows was completely calm. Erza and Gray both rushed forward, using couch cushions to block the open windows and keep whatever was trying to come in...out.

Brielle couldn't stop a cry of terror from escaping her mouth, clinging to her mother. Beside her, Connor also cried out.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked, her eyes wide with fear, watching the couch cushions fly across the room.

"SHIT!" Gray yelled as the cushions were literally sucked from his and Erza's hands out of the window, "Happy! Carla! They're coming in!"

Lark stood up in the centre of the barrier created by the Angels, shocked when the demons suddenly came into view. They looked like regular human beings but there was no mistaking the evil presence associated with them. It was the same sickening emotion that he got during his nightmares. Panic started to spread through his body. This was his fault. They weren't after the other Dragneels... they were after him.

It was then that he realized this was no ordinary earthquake. The Dragneels were under attack. The family around him were all panicking now. Natsu and Lucy, Aki and Lark formed a barrier around the family, locking them into the center of the huddled group.

And Wendy was not appearing to help them. Where was she?

"Lark, get down!" Natsu yelled, yanking Lark to his knees.

Lark obliged Natsu enough to get down to his knees, but he couldn't stop staring.

Unable to keep _conceal_ up, Erza dropped it, appearing to Lark as she grabbed a nearby broom and attacked the demon coming in the window.

 _There's other Angels here trying to protect us from the demons,_ Lark realized _, Wendy...where are you?_

For the first time, it occurred to him that maybe he wasn't surrounded by Angels because Angels protected humans in general... Maybe his nightmares about being trapped in hell were real _and the Angels were sent to protect him and the people he loved specifically._

He froze, unable to deal with this revelation. Other than the fact that Lark could see Angels, there was nothing really special about him. Why would demons want him?

"You'll have more strength if you drop _conceal!_ " Erza yelled to Gray.

Gray nodded, also dropping _conceal_. Lark's eyes grew wider as Gray too forged forward, tackling the demon coming in the second window. And a third Angel behind them appeared, standing in front of the family with her arms spread wide.

 _That's Juvia Lockser!_ Lark realized…her picture still hung in the Fairy Tail halls.

"Mavis," he whispered, "What in the hell..."

He now recognized all three Angels. He'd seen them all _that day_...at the banquet at Fairy Tail when it had first opened. The Angels were all in attack mode, keeping whatever was trying to come in outside the windows.

Aki was watching Lark's face, the horror he displayed chilling her to the bone. Brielle was bawling. Natsu and Lucy held the children closely behind their bodies.

Lark didn't understand what happened next. One minute, the two Angels that had appeared out of nowhere were pushing the demons back out the window. The blue-haired Angel remained in front of the family. The next, an energy pulse rocked the house, knocking the Dragneels off balance. Connor and Mieske both stumbled, falling to their knees. Aimi and Haru pulled them back to their feet as the howling wind blew on the family's faces.

"Momma!" Brielle screamed.

"Hold on, baby!" Lucy tried to sound reassuring.

They all screamed as the house gave the most violent shakes yet...then everything stopped.

When Lark opened his eyes, the demons were gone. The red-haired Angel and her black-haired counterpart were on the floor, breathing heavily. The third blue-haired Angel - Juvia Lockser - still stood protectively in front of the family. Even Floofy stood in front of the family. The house had stopped shaking...and the ominous feeling was gone.

The family stared at each other momentarily, exchanging horrified glances. Lark's gaze was directly between the three Angels, who were now eyeing him back. They nodded to him, wiping their sweaty brows.

"What just happened?" Aki asked, her voice heavy with confusion.

The Angels were confused too...until Mavis _unconcealed_ herself, her eyes dark and serious. Erza, Gray and Juvia dropped to their knees, bowing to her. Lark's eyes were huge as he regarded the new entry. She was small and blonde, but there was no mistaking her presence...her very being commanded respect.

 _And she was staring directly into Lark's eyes._

* * *

Laxus chased down the dark-haired man and the white-haired man, who were darting from side-to-side in opposite directions to avoid Laxus's lightning bolts and keep Laxus's attention split into more than one direction.

"DIVINE ARROW!" the white-haired man yelled, shooting off a blazing purple arrow in Laxus's direction. The purple arrow hit a tree above Laxus, exploding the branch. Laxus dove to to the ground to avoid the crashing branch, rolling out of the way as he fired his lightning bolt in retaliation.

"You liked that, did you?" the white-haired man shouted, firing off a second arrow.

Laxus dodged a second time, not flinching this time as another arrow exploded behind him. He watched the men criss-cross their paths, closing in toward him.

Laxed raised his hand in the air, closing his eyes so he could chant, " _Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder, plunge from the Heavens and reap destruction!_ "

An enormous red lightning bolt fell from the sky, hitting the white-haired man directly. He fell over, effectively incapacitated.

Laxus turned, facing the dark-haired man, who had halted, keeping his back to Laxus.

Laxus paused. The other man had put up a bit of a fight. He wondered what ability _this_ man would have.

"Stay where you are," Laxus ordered.

"You want me to stay still?" the man heckled, "No problem. But you will rue this day when I release my power!"

Laxus stood back, his eyes wide as the man bent over, aiming his ass directly at Laxus.

The man wiggled his butt from side-to-side, seemingly powering up for...something.

Laxus wriggled his nose, "What in the HELL are you doing?"

The man grabbed his own butt cheeks, firing off an enormous plume of gas.

Laxus started to cough, holding his own nose as the putrid smell hit his nostrils.

"You're kidding, right?" Laxus asked incredulously.

The man laughed evilly, " _THAT_ was just a sampler! Prepare for the release of my TRUE POWER!"

Closing his fist, Laxus closed the 3 foot distance and smacked the idiot once on top of his head.

The man crumpled to the ground.

He groaned, lifting his head to prepare to get up again.

"Just stay down," Laxus ordered, the tone of his voice reflecting his utter annoyance.

The man fainted obediently.

* * *

Erik faced the young brown-haired girl. She looked so innocent, he wondered how she could possibly be evil - possibly a demon even.

"I don't want to fight you," she stated.

"Then what do you want?" Erik asked as they circled each other.

"To understand," she told him, "We need know if he's the Son."

Erik cocked his head, "I don't know what that means."

"You don't need to understand," the girl told him, "If we can prove he's the Son, then you'll know why we're doing what we need to do soon enough."

"Tell me now!" Erik told her.

"I've told you all I'm going to tell you. Now step out of the way," she told him.

"You can't have him," Erik growled.

"Oh, I'll take him," the girl smiled, "Seeya around."

He didn't even see her leave the scene, but he knew she hadn't _transported_ since he could see the vapour trail she left behind. He frowned. That was an odd conversation. And he _still_ had no answers.

* * *

"Hang on, Daisuke," she whispered as he groaned in her ear, "You'll be safe soon."

Erik would take care of the girl. Glancing over to the three men, Wendy could see Laxus taking on the white-haired guy and the dark-haired man, sparks flying from his hands.

But she needed to concentrate on the fight in front of her. The purple-haired man - Hughes - was racing toward Wendy and Daisuke.

Wendy lowered Daisuke's body against the trunk of a tree and turned to face Hughes. If he wanted Daisuke, he would have to get through her first.

Wendy opened her mouth again, begging the white energy beam to emit like it did the last time. Nothing happened. Her mind raced desperately, begging for a solution.

 _Learn to use your abilities offensively,_ she heard Erik's voice echo. She nodded to herself. She didn't know how to use her abilities offensively...but she knew how to use her abilities!

Wendy disappeared, reappearing in front of Hughes and managing an uppercut to his jaw. She disappeared, reappearing behind his back and slammed her fists down, forcing him to his knees.

"Transport!" she yelled, grabbing his shoulder. They _transported,_ reappearing several hundred feet away from Daisuke.

Wendy stood her ground as he paced in front of her, scrutinizing her with his eyes.

"I have to say," he said, making every cell in her body cringe, "You're pretty _amazing_. I wasn't expecting any resistance."

"I won't let you take Daisuke," she told him, "What do you want from him anyway?"

He smiled, "We have to ask him some questions. I'm quite certain...he has some _amazing_ answers for us."

She frowned.

"Don't worry," he assured her, "Once we get the information we need, we'll return him to his home...in how many pieces depends entirely on his answers."

He charged, causing Wendy to panic. She needed to draw on her abilities again, or she and Daisuke would be in severe trouble. As his fist raised to connect with her jaw, Wendy felt a surge to her body...and then the anger of his last taunt propelled her forward in a blind rage.

* * *

Laxus had immobilized his enemies and stacked them neatly near a tree trunk. Erik's opponent had left the scene. Laxus waved his arm, a lightning-like rope brightly wrapping around the tree, securing the prisoners to the base. They both turned, watching Wendy deliver blow after blow to Hughes. He was in defensive mode, blocking her attacks as fast as she was delivering them, but not getting any hits in of his own. Finally she got a good hit into his abdomen and he fell to his knees. She continued to hit him, her anger blinding her to the fact that she had already subdued him.

"That's enough now, Wendy!" Laxus called out.

Wendy couldn't see straight as she repeatedly pummeled the man in the ground.

Erik transported behind her, wrapping his arms around her and forcing her to be still, "Wendy..."

She stilled, her body shaking from the adrenaline rush she wasn't aware Angels could even attain.

"You did well, kid," Laxus told her, ruffling her bangs with a closed fist.

"I couldn't get him far enough," Wendy sighed, "We need to get medical attention for him. He's really hurt. I'll do what I can now, but we have to get him out of here."

She turned, heading back to the tree that she'd left him under, then froze, her face paling. Laxus and Erik exchanged glances, following her gaze.

"Daisuke!" Wendy whispered, escaping Laxus's grasp and running for where she'd left his body.

"No," Erik whispered.

Daisuke was not at the base of the tree.

"It's just the wrong tree!" Wendy exclaimed, rushing around the area, desperately trying to spot him.

Erik slipped into the _shadows_ so he could search a little faster.

"It's not the wrong tree," Laxus's voice announced from behind them, "He's gone."

Erik and Wendy turned, both grimacing as they realized Laxus held the broken lightning rope in his hands...The light-haired perpetrator was gone. Glancing back over to the man Wendy had just defeated, they realized with a grimace that he had disappeared as well. The dark-haired man, however, remained unconscious.

"No," Wendy whispered.

Wendy fell to her knees, screaming out her anguish as Laxus kicked a tree, making the entire thing rip at the roots and fall over.

"SHIIIIIIIIITTTT!" Erik bellowed into the trees, making the birds fly upward.

Feeling a little less like his emotions would explode, Erik dropped to his knees beside Wendy, pouring comfort through her. He glanced from Laxus to Wendy, standing up immediately.

"We need to look for Aura trails while they're still fresh!" Erik told them, taking off at a run back to the forest.

Wendy and Laxus both nodded as Laxus wiped the tears from Wendy's eyes, sending her a wave of his comfort as well.

"We'll find him," he promised her.

He walked over the dark-haired man, binding his hands together at his back, then again against the tree so that he could help Erik find any potential Aura trails. Somehow, he doubted this man would disappear anyway. The _other_ men – and even the girl – had all been demons. This guy was no demon…but he _was_ a witness they could question.

* * *

Jellal prepared another light ball, aiming it toward Sugarboy.

"You're tiring, _Angel_!" Sugarboy mocked, "Is that all you've got?"

Jellal threw out a rapid-fire attack, hitting Sugarboy in the arm. Sugarboy let out a howl of pain, then retaliated.

"I can do this all day!" Jellal yelled, "Tell me your objective!"

Sugarboy laughed, glancing at a band on his wrist as it beeped.

"Our objective...has been fulfilled," he told Jellal, "It's been fun. Later Loser."

He disappeared into thin air.

Jellal stood alone in the forest...completely confused, then snapped to his senses. The objective had been fulfilled? He cringed, breaking into a _transport_ as fast as he could. He needed to get back to the Dragneel house.

* * *

Levy and Mira rushed into Sora's room, surprised to find her contently asleep on her bed, her music player still playing. Levy removed her ear phones, placing the IPod on Sora's nightstand. Sora hadn't even noticed they'd entered...and the presence they'd felt before suddenly disappeared.

"I don't understand," Levy said to Mira once they'd backed into the kitchen again, "What just happened?"

"I don't know," Mira answered. The worry on her face mirrored Levy's, "But we'd better check in."

* * *

Gajeel stood outside Dan and Jackal's cells, unsettled by the silence. Minerva glanced at him, obviously unsettled as well. There were no threats here. Dan and Jackal were both quiet as usual in their small prisons. He couldn't help wondering what was going on with the rest of the Angels though...that Erik felt so strongly he needed to go immediately.

Rogue and Jet were oblivious to their worried Angel guard, as were the inmates.

He didn't like this feeling.

Not one little bit.

* * *

"So you didn't feel an Earthquake?" Natsu clarified.

He paced the living room floor around the terrified Dragneel family, talking on the phone to Sting.

"I'm telling you, Sting...I have two broken windows...and the house was shaking...and I _still_ don't know how those pillows flew to the window!"

Brielle cuddled in closer to her mother, tears streaming down her face. Aki held Connor on her lap. They were still sitting in the middle of the floor, dumbfounded.

"Can you just come check out the area then?" Natsu asked, "My family is freaked out. Nobody will sleep tonight unless we figure out what just happened."

Lark was in a stupor, being that he was the only human around who actually realized what had happened. The Dragneels had been attacked by demons. He watched the blonde lady pace the same floor that Natsu was pacing, seemingly gathering her thoughts. She was small - like Levy - and her long blonde hair cascaded to her knees. She wore a white robe that reached to her ankles. The Angels obviously revered her...if the bowing when she appeared was any indication.

Her eyes mesmerized Lark. Even though he knew her eyes were deeply troubled and worried over the incident that had just occurred, there was a light to them that he couldn't explain. She was _familiar._

She turned, stopping as she saw Lark staring at her. She froze, her hardened look softening as tears welled in her eyes. He couldn't understand the emotion that passed from her to him, but he could feel its' intensity.

"You're so big...and handsome," she whispered.

They locked eyes, taking in each other's appearances. Lark swallowed a lump in his throat as he regarded how closely she watched him.

"Who are you?" he asked, completely mesmerized by the way she looked at him, "Do you know me?"

"You're safe for now, Larcade," she told him. The other Angels stood, flanking her.

"I don't understand," Lark said in a louder voice, completely aware of the crack in it.

"We'll meet again," she promised, "Until then, know that you are protected...and very loved."

She disappeared, as did the other Angels, leaving Lark staring at her empty spot. He didn't even notice Aki's wide eyes as she regarded her brother...talking to thin air.

* * *

 _ _ **I'm going to change my updating schedule from 'every Sunday' to 'always by Sunday'. I guarantee you one chapter a week - by Sunday...sound good?**_  
_

 _ **A couple shout-outs:**_

 _ **To Guest Reviewer from last chapter: Thanks so much! I've really enjoyed writing both stories :D**_

 _ **About FB page, Fairy Tail Fan Fiction: Check it out, people! 'Mirajane' has a really nice site there that takes some of the guesswork out of looking for a new fic to read!**_

 _ **My thoughts are with OtakuPrincess28 as she recovers from surgery - even when she's not well, she has been persistent in her quest to help me turn out a great chapter! Also thanks to WordsAreMySpells1331...my grammar and awkward Canadian phrases police chief! We work great together, ladies - let's keep it up!**_

 _ **Do you like the exerts giving a tiny preview of the next chapter? Let me know!**_

 _ **Chapter 19 Exert:**_

 _She's crying, he realized._

 _He approached her slowly, hesitating before reaching for her, then gently cradled her in his arm. Her sobs came slowly at first, then heavier until she was heaving against him. He pressed his lips to her head, wishing he had both arms to comfort her with._

 ** _Still curious about your Oops 2 ships! Please feel free to stop by my profile to put your vote in! I already know the end results...but I'm curious how many people will be upset with me (insert meek grin here)..._**

~Shana~


	19. Chapter 19

"Call the Angels," Mavis told Erza once the Angels had disappeared from Lark's sight. It killed her to walk away from Lark. She desperately wanted to talk to him. She wanted to tell him who she was and get to know him.

Her eyes rested on Lucy for a moment, currently fawning over his forehead since he'd bumped it a bit during the chaos. He was waving her away, insisting there was nothing to worry about.

Who would have thought that Lucy and Natsu of all people would raise her son?

But now was neither the time nor the place...so she slipped back into battle tactician mode, "We can't risk leaving any of the wards unprotected, so we'll do an All-Angel broadcast."

Erza nodded, setting up the conference call just as Jellal appeared beside her. She threw herself into his arms, more than happy to see him.

"What happened?" he asked, "One minute Sugarboy and I were going at it, the next he disappeared."

"The Dragneels were attacked too," Erza told him, pulling out of his arms to continue setting up the phone call.

"We're trying to figure it out now," Gray told him.

"We're up!" Erza announced, achieving the connection between all Angels.

Mavis nodded, taking her place around the cell phone that would broadcast her voice to all the Angels.

"Angels of Magnolia...this is Mavis Vermilion. Please report your status immediately. "

"Nothing's happening at Fairy Tail," Gajeel told them, "Jackal and Dan are fine. Why? What's going on?"

"Who else can you account for, Gajeel?" Mavis asked, ignoring his request for information.

"Minerva's here with me. Rogue and Jet are the human police here tonight," Gajeel grunted, "Loke and Mest are upstairs with me and the inmates. Kinana and Aries are downstairs."

"Kinana and Aries need to report upstairs for the time being," Mavis told him, "Keep everyone with you...make sure the bottom doors are sealed tight. Levy - report!"

"Sora's fine," Levy stated, audibly hearing Gajeel's sigh of relief, "but there was a presence in this house Mira and I couldn't explain."

"We were pretty sure we would be attacked too," Mira added, "But by the time we got to Sora's room, the presence was gone."

"I was fighting a demon named Sugarboy," Jellal cut in, "He said that our fight was being used as a distraction...I assume to keep us busy so we Angels couldn't help each other. Just before he disappeared, he said 'their objective had been fulfilled.' "

"A coordinated attack," Mavis murmured under her breath, "We need to know what they were distracting us from. Where are Laxus, Wendy, and Erik?"

There was no answer.

Mavis pointed at Jellal and Erza, "Find them. Being that they're not reporting in, I'd say they found out the _exactly_ what the objective is."

Jellal and Erza nodded, heading to the last coordinates sent by Wendy's phone when she'd called for help.

"We need to account for the other Fairy Tail employees," Mavis stated, "Loke, Mest, Kinana, and Aries are at Fairy Tail. Lucy is here...where are Lisanna, Virgo and Cana?"

"Lisanna and Virgo opted to leave town while Dan and Jackal are here," Jellal told her, "Sorano and Ezel have gone with them."

Mavis searched the faces of the Angels in the room, "Then we need to find Cana, Laxus, Wendy, and Erik. They went after Daisuke…what about Laki and her kids?"

"I'll go check on them!" Juvia piped up.

"Not alone you won't," Gray told her, possessively grabbing her hand.

"I'd like one trained Angel with you," Mavis told him, "Sorry, but you can't go until another Angel with an Offensive Ability gets here...I'm worried that Wendy's group hasn't reported in - and two of the three are fully trained."

Gray let out a low growl of frustration, but saw the logic in her words. He'd been useless against Sugarboy. Completely and utterly useless.

* * *

Sting arrived with a half dozen squad cars at the Dragneel household, ordering a complete perimeter check of the household. Immediately, crews started combing the area, knowing there would be no neighbour witnesses since the Dragneel property had a long driveway from the street to ensure privacy. Normally, that was a _good_ thing.

Natsu wandered outside, still dazed from the entire ordeal.

"What happened?" Sting demanded.

"I don't know," Natsu replied, "We were playing a game one minute. The next, the house started to shake and the windows in the living room exploded. My family is terrified, Sting."

Sting frowned, watching the officers comb the area of the back yard.

"There's nothing here!" Droy yelled to Sting.

"Earthquakes don't happen in one spot only," Sting murmured.

"It's not just that," Natsu sighed, "Two pillows flew into the broken windows...like they were suctioned...and a broom barred the window…but nothing else moved. At least, not until that gale-force wind kicked in. Then _everything_ was moving. But it disappeared as fast as it came. I can't explain _any_ of this rationally."

"Go back inside," Sting told him, "We'll check the area."

"No way," Natsu argued, "I need to be out here with everyone else! I can't just sit and do nothing!"

"Your family needs you!" Sting said sternly, "You just told me how scared they are. They were attacked by an unknown force…now there's a police presence outside their house. The Natsu I know always puts them first. You need to calm them down – _then_ you can join the investigation!"

Natsu paused, feeling the burn coursing through his body. It was the same anger from the other day. It compelled him to defy Sting and search the area himself anyway. He pushed it down, a little afraid of losing his senses again if he did manage to get his hands on someone for threatening his family.

"Okay," he agreed finally.

Sting nodded, watching Natsu turn to re-enter the house.

"Sting," Natsu said, his back turned to him, "Something bad happened here tonight. It wasn't our imagination. Update me with everything, okay? Anything at all."

Sting nodded, watching him disappear into the house, then combed the area with his eyes. Jellal and Erik hadn't appeared to him yet. He wondered if Natsu was right and there was way more to the incident than it seemed. He had no viable reason to keep a police presence at the Dragneel house. No tangible evidence other than the broken windows indicated anything out of the ordinary. A team of four officers were boarding the living room windows now. Soon they'd be done and Sting would have no option but to declare the scene clear of any danger.

But Sting felt something akin to dread deep in his bones. It was as though he could still sense whatever had been there. It was gone now…but it left a dark, horrifying residue. He wondered about Yukino and his kids, Ren and Saichi, and prayed that one of the Angels was watching them too. Usually there was _someone_. Jellal and Erik had extended the watch over Fairy Tail and the Dragneel family to include his family and Rogue's. It had come in handy many times to have Angelic protection. But it also made both he and Rogue hyperaware of everything going on around them that was…'less than normal' to the average human being.

"Help us out," he whispered to the open air, knowing if Jellal or Erik were nearby, they'd appear to him or give him a sign, "If there's something here…anything…help us find it quickly."

* * *

"There's no Aura trail _anywhere_ ," Erik growled in a low, frustrated voice, "We've been around the entire area now. There's nothing that I can track."

"Shit," Laxus murmured, kicking a tall patch of weeds.

"We can't stop looking!" Wendy insisted, then cried out as Jellal and Erza appeared beside her. Clearly, she was still very shaken up and their sudden appearance startled her.

"What happened here?" Jellal asked, observing the destruction around the forest.

Wendy's face was pale, tears streaking down it. She was shaking. Both Laxus and Erik shot comfort through her. Erza gathered her into her arms, squeezing her reassuringly.

"They got Daisuke," Laxus told Jellal.

Jellal and Erza both gasped, their eyes widening.

"They stalked him when he left the Dragneel house," Erik added, "He was attacked by about 5 or so demons. Wendy did the best she could to protect him until we got here, but they took off with him right from under our noses."

"But we have a prisoner too," Laxus said, gesturing to the still passed out dark-haired man, "He's no demon. But he might know something if we can make him talk."

The whole group paused, scrunching up their noses as the man farted in his sleep.

"Just watch out for his ass," Laxus warned.

The other Angels groaned.

"Disgusting!" Erza commented, moving to the other side of Jellal.

"Well, he has to wake up first before we can ask him anything," Jellal pointed out.

Erik nodded, "We'll check in. And we're going to have to come up with a way to tell Rogue that his son is missing. Maybe this asshole will have awoken by then."

"Wendy," Erza interjected, putting her arm around the quivering girl, who had remained very quiet since their arrival, "Are you okay?"

The adrenaline rush had subsided and now Wendy was faced with the truth of what had just happened. Daisuke was missing and they had no idea why.

"My cell is gone," Wendy sniffed, the fear in her eyes cascading over her face, no matter how much comfort the other Angels pushed to her, "I...I don't know what to do."

Everyone knew she wasn't worried about the cell phone.

"Everyone but Fairy Tail was attacked," Jellal informed the baffled Angels, "It was a coordinated attack meant to distract us from their true objective…which we still haven't determined. First, Wendy felt the presence on the path this afternoon. A demon actually attacked Gray and I early this evening on that same path. Levy and Mira felt a presence at the Redfox household. And the Dragneel household was attacked outright. Thankfully, Mavis intervened. She's at the Dragneel house waiting for Angels to check in."

"So what do we do now?" Wendy blurted out, "How are we going to find Daisuke?"

"We'll report to Mavis," Erza reiterated, "And we'll account for all our wards. Mavis will know where to start looking for Daisuke."

Jellal and Erik nodded curtly to each other, preparing to transport.

"Just a second," Laxus called, stooping down to throw his unconscious prisoner over his shoulder. The man let out a foul smell from the impact of being transferred.

"Jeez, he's gross!" Jellal exclaimed, "Maybe we should leave him here!"

"Gross, yes," Erza stated, "but there's a possibility he could also tell us what's going on."

Everyone nodded, _transporting_ directly to the Dragneel house. Wendy lagged behind for a moment, glancing the area one last time. Guilt washed over her. Lark would not forgive her. Hell, _Wendy_ couldn't forgive _herself_. She had failed miserably…and now Daisuke was gone.

* * *

Lucy paced the living room. The Dragneel kids sat obediently on the couch, all too aware of the police presence outside. A few of the officers were boarding up the broken windows for the night. As far as anyone knew, nobody could offer any answers as to what had happened.

The children sat together in the living room silently, watching the adults pace. Sometimes they exchanged the odd word, but the tension in the room was palpable.

The phone rang, making everyone take in a sharp breath. Lucy crossed the living room, glancing at Natsu before finally picking it up.

"Hello?" she asked.

She listened quietly, her eyes widening slightly.

"Laki…Daisuke left well over an hour ago!" she turned to Natsu, gesturing for him to get Sting. He took off at a run, "Yes I'm sure! He left just after supper! Natsu offered him a ride, but he insisted on walking!"

Sting and Natsu entered the house, noting Lucy's worried face. She gestured toward the bedroom and all three adults headed there, shutting the door behind them so they could talk.

"What's going on now?" Brielle asked Lark, cuddling into his side.

Lark was staring at the closed bedroom door, thinking very seriously about barging in and demanding to the answer to that very question. He was worried about Daisuke…he should have been home by now.

"We're safe," Aki promised her, "Uncle Sting won't leave until he knows we're safe. It was probably just a freak windstorm."

All the Dragneel kids knew that wasn't the truth, even Connor and Brielle. They had all seen the pillows fly and the broom beating the window.

* * *

"If Daisuke said he was going home, he would have gone home!" Laki insisted, "Something is wrong!"

Laki was on speaker phone now, arguing against Natsu, Sting, and Lucy's supportive comments that Daisuke probably got side-tracked somewhere.

"Sting," Laki said finally, "I know my son. Please. Rogue is stuck at Fairy Tail and I can't leave Megumi."

Sting hesitated, then nodded toward Natsu, "Okay, Laki. I'll divide my forces. We'll find him."

"Thank you," she said softly.

The speaker went dead. Lucy clicked the 'off' button.

"Something's wrong," Natsu said right away, "It's too coincidental. Our house was attacked and Daisuke is missing."

Lucy sucked in her breath, "You have to find him…"

"We will," Sting promised, "Just…stay here. I'll leave half the cops here and take the other half."

Both Natsu and Lucy nodded, following Sting out of the bedroom.

* * *

Lucy's face was flushed, like she was trying not to cry. Sting was already on the phone, stomping out of the living room as she and Natsu approached their children.

"What's going on?" Brielle asked.

"Daisuke didn't go home," Lucy told her, "We need to stay here…but the police are going to go find him. It'll be fine. He's probably just skating at the boardwalk."

Lark's brow furrowed as he watched Natsu exit to the yard through the porch door. The officers were gathering around Sting, listening intently.

A cold chill swept down his spine.

"They're going to look for Daisuke," Lark surmised, getting off the couch, "I'm going too."

He pushed past Lucy, who reached out her arm to stop him.

"Lark…just leave it to Sting and your father," Lucy suggested.

Lark barely heard her, pushing past her to get to the yard.

"I want to look for Daisuke too," he told Sting and Natsu, interrupting the meeting.

"You need to help your mother look after the kids," Natsu told him, "Please, Lark…go back in the house. I really need you here tonight."

Natsu motioned for Sting to continue, both realizing Lark hadn't gone back into the house as he was told. He stood with his one fist balled, listening as Sting called out his orders.

"Droy, Alzack, Vijeeter and Nab," Sting pointed at each man, "Start walking the path that Daisuke would've taken home. See if you can find anything indicating a change in direction."

The four men nodded, taking off down the path as Sting appointed two more teams to patrol the streets for anything unusual.

"Go back in the house, Lark," Natsu ordered.

"Please, Dad…Sting!" Lark interrupted, "He's my best friend!"

Sting and every other cop eye turned to Natsu to see what he'd have to say.

"I can tell you where to look," Lark begged, "Please."

Natsu sighed heavily. He knew how close Lark and Daisuke were. Lark owed a lot to Daisuke's maturity and wisdom in their friendship. Plus, he could see the apprehension behind his son's eyes. Slowly, he nodded to Sting.

"You'll ride with your dad and I," Sting said, "And you're not to leave the car. If the officers get out to search areas, you _stay put._ I'm not kidding…if you step _one inch_ out of line… _"_

Lark nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay then," Natsu said, "Let's go."

Beside them, Erik nodded to Wendy, indicating they should follow them. Wendy tried not to show the fear in her eyes as she hurried to stay close to Lark's side.

* * *

Bacchus was starting to get pissed. It wasn't unusual for Cana to go out at night with her friends until the early hours of the next morning, but she rarely disappeared without giving him _some_ inclination of where to find her. On top of that, she'd made him promise to be home tonight for some one-on-one time…something about the 13th anniversary of the day they met or something. _He'd_ come home for that…so where in the hell was she?

He stormed into the kitchen, looking for any clue that she would leave to mess with him. She did that sometimes – played games like 'Come and find me'. It kept things interesting and fresh between them, but there were no indications anywhere that she was luring him into one of their games. She simply was not in the apartment.

He heaved out an aggravated sigh as he sat at the kitchen table, texting her once again. That was unusual too. Cana rarely missed texts. For one thing, she was always on call for Fairy Tail. For another, the liquor store had her on their text list for impromptu sales on liquor.

He glanced at the clock, then picked up the phone. Maybe Fairy Tail had called her in.

* * *

Gajeel put down his phone, flipping it so no one could see the screen as Loke reminded him again that it was his turn. He'd been texting back and forth with Levy, getting the skinny on what had happened at the Dragneel house. Levy and Mira had been told to stay with Sora, which suited Gajeel fine. But he was antsy. He wanted to go check things for himself, especially since both Levy and Mira had told Mavis there was a presence in their house. Levy downplayed the incident now, telling Gajeel there was nothing to worry about. He picked a card absently from the deck, discarding another card, then picked his phone up again.

"What's going on?" Rogue asked, eyeing his friend, "You're not paying attention at all."

"Nothing," Gajeel grunted, "It's just a weird feeling."

Jet frowned, "Maybe our game is over. It's almost time to give the idiots their late-night water."

"Yeah," Mest agreed, chucking his cards on the table, "I need to stretch."

He walked away from the table, stretching his arms over his head.

"Can we go back downstairs now?" Aries asked, "I…don't like it up here. I'm sorry!"

"Don't be sorry," Loke said gently. He turned his gaze toward Gajeel, who had insisted that both Aries and Kinana join them upstairs about a half hour ago, "Is there a reason they can't go back downstairs?"

Gajeel paused, glancing to Minerva who sat in the corner of the room, unseen by the human eyes. She shrugged, looking back at her own phone.

They all jumped as the Fairy Tail phone in Kinana's hand rang out.

"Hello?" Kinana answered, "Oh, hi Bacchus…no…Cana's not here. She hasn't been here all night, no."

She frowned as Mest took the phone from her.

"Hey Bacchus – it's Mest here. We haven't seen Cana in a few hours, but she _was_ here earlier. Said she was grabbing some sake from her desk drawer," Mest said.

All eyes were on him as he paced the floor, listening.

"Yeah, you're right," he said slowly, "That's odd even for Cana. Okay. I'll ask the others."

He hung up the phone, pausing before turning to his colleagues.

"Cana didn't come home," he told them, "She's not returning texts and she hasn't indicated to anyone where she is. He's already called the most likely people she'd go drinking with. Bacchus even called Gildarts…she's nowhere."

Jet shook his head, "That's really odd. It's late."

"That's not unusual for this time of night," Loke scoffed, "She's probably singing karaoke in some bar somewhere with some new friends. She'll turn up."

The look on Mest's face expressed his concern. Cana had been acting weird earlier too. She was on a mission of some kind, by the expression on her face. And she'd been in her office a little too long for only grabbing a bottle of sake.

Kinana and Aries started clearing the table of empty beer bottles while Mest and Loke put the cards away and cleared the dishes.

Gajeel took the moment to text Erik.

 **Gajeel:** Cana didn't go home tonight. Someone should check on her.

 **Erik:** Got it. Just checking in at the house…then I'll make sure we follow up on that.

"You're sure everything is good?" Rogue asked.

Gajeel nodded, "Yeah. It's cool."

Rogue saw the glint in Gajeel's eyes, tensing as he realized Laki had been texting him too. As rude as he thought it was to text while playing a game with other people, he kind of wished he'd checked his cell earlier.

"Mavis," he whispered.

"What is it?" Kinana asked, everyone halting their activities.

"Daisuke…Laki says he hasn't come home yet," Rogue's face paled, "Sting's got the police out looking for him."

"Go," Jet told him, "The rest of us will cover here."

Rogue nodded gratefully, scrambling for the door.

Gajeel glanced back at Minerva, silently communicating that Rogue should not go unescorted. She nodded her agreement, ticking her head toward the cells to indicate she'd keep watch over Dan and Jackal.

"I'll go with you," Gajeel expressed, "Our shift is almost over anyway."

Rogue barely heard him, frantically texting his wife and Sting to try to understand just what in the hell was going on. Sting texted his location, stating he thought they'd found the location of the disappearance. Rogue hurried for the stairs, Gajeel at his heels.

Outside the building, Bacchus grabbed Rogue's arm as he scurried past him, his eyes wide with concern.

"Have you seen Cana?"

Rogue lowered his cell phone, "You could have said you were outside the building when you called Fairy Tail...we haven't seen her. Apparently, she was by earlier though."

Bacchus nodded, "So I'm told. Something doesn't feel right. She might kick my ass for checking up on her...but I'm worried."

"My son is missing too," Rogue told him, "And according to Sting, Magnolia PD is already out looking for him. I'll suggest we look for Cana too. We're just on our way to intercept Sting."

"Can I come?" Bacchus asked.

Rogue nodded, already B-lining for his car, Gajeel and Bacchus steps behind him. Gajeel texted ahead to Erik, informing him of the fact that Cana was possibly missing too.

* * *

Lark's eyes widened from the back seat of the squad car. Natsu was driving erratically and Sting was sitting in the passenger seat, making phone calls and conversing with his officers constantly.

Sting got off the phone from Rogue, stating that they were all going to meet at the location Droy had just reported.

"Droy and his group followed Daisuke's route home," Sting told Lark, knowing their conversations were likely hard to follow, "They think they found Daisuke's footprints. Turn left on the next road, Natsu."

Lark frowned, knowing the area and Daisuke's route well. He was almost home. He'd almost made it.

"Remember your promise," Sting said through the plexiglass windows, "You're staying in the car."

Lark nodded as Natsu lurched the car to a stop and he and Sting both got out, heading for the group of officers that waited just past the clearing. Lark tried to lower the window so perhaps he'd pick up bits and pieces of the conversation Natsu and Sting were having with the group of officers, but the window was powered shut. He supposed he _was_ in the back of a squad car. He wasn't _supposed_ to be able to open the window.

He studied the area. There were damaged trees. A large branch sat out-of-place at the edge of the clearing. It didn't belong to any of the surrounding trees...had Daisuke tried to defend himself there? From what? Looking further into the path, he could see broken branches and twigs. Droy and his group had found the path where Daisuke had been...but no one had noticed the veer in direction yet.

Something glinted back in the trees. The thought crossed his mind momentarily that it was Wendy, beckoning him to follow her.

The back door was locked, but the partition between the front and back seats was still open.

"Well, this is going to be awkward," Lark murmured to himself as he started climbing through it.

He stuck a leg through first, trying to avoid police radios and all the other junk kept in the front seat of the squad car. Pulling the rest of his torso through the tiny window, he cringed a bit. He barely fit with his immobile arm. There was a thunk as Lark's body plunged down into the front seat and he cringed as a jolt of pain burned through his arm...but he'd made it.

He put his hand on the handle, taking a deep breath. Sting and Natsu would give him so much shit once they realize he'd just done _EXACTLY_ what they told him not to. He let out the breath and exited the vehicle anyway. Daisuke was more important.

He crept toward broken trail almost tiptoeing...a little worried about the repercussions of getting caught, a little worried about the repercussions if he _didn't_ at least check it out.

"Where do you think you're going?" Natsu yelled as he and Sting stomped toward the car.

"There's something here!" Lark stated, gesturing toward the path he'd noticed. He glanced down the path that Natsu and Sting had just come from, "Is...it where Daisuke went missing?"

"Daisuke was here," Natsu confirmed. He took a closer look at the pathway Lark had pointed out, "And you're right...it looks like something happened there."

Both Sting and Natsu hopped over the log that blocked the path, following Lark as he ventured further down the broken trail.

"Slow down! If you fall on your ass and re-break your arm, your mother will murder you!" Natsu yelled to Lark.

Lark ignored him, feeling the path as he increased his speed. Visions of what had happened to Daisuke danced across of his mind like a movie. Lark didn't know or understand what he was seeing. He didn't care. He was pulled into the vision, feeling Daisuke's panic and his determination to outrun his pursuers. There were four...no five. Toby and Yuka were two of them.

He arrived at a certain spot on the path and froze, feeling the overwhelming sensation of being impacted by a heavy object into his side. By the time Natsu and Sting caught up to him, Lark stared into the bushes where Daisuke had landed after being tackled.

"What is it?" Natsu asked, approaching slowly. His son's expression was trance-like.

"Daisuke's cell phone!" Sting exclaimed as he followed Lark's line of vision. Immediately, he reached into his back pocket for a plastic bag and gloves, retrieving the phone for evidence purposes.

He radioed Droy, asking for the other officers to join them on the path. The path was getting more heavily wooded. Lark stood still, unclear if he could even navigate the narrow path without bumping his arm again. He wondered how Daisuke had managed to run on it. He must have been terrified...to take such a narrow route with the street right there in front of him.

 _They blocked him,_ Lark realized, _something was chasing him...and it blocked him from getting to the street._

He heard another car screech to a halt in the clearing. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw Gajeel getting out of the passenger side, Rogue getting out of the driver's side. Bacchus got out of the back seat, stretching to his full height. They joined Jet's group, everyone following Lark in silence as he continued following Daisuke's footsteps.

"What's he doing?" Vijeeter whispered to Sting.

"I don't know," Sting replied, "but he found this path and Daisuke's cell phone. It's like he's retracing Daisuke's steps."

"Cana's missing too," Bacchus piped up, "Could she have been on this path?"

"No," Droy replied, "Only Daisuke's footsteps were found on the other path."

Bacchus sighed his aggravation, then shut his mouth as Lark turned direction again.

"Mavis..." Lark whispered as he froze again. Natsu and Sting came to a full stop just as Rogue and Droy's groups caught up, everyone staring at the pool of blood on the ground.

Rogue cried out, turning in a circle as he lost his shit. He fell to the ground, throwing up into the grass. Sting's face paled to the point where he wavered on his feet.

Wendy appeared beside Lark, grabbing his hand. Erik appeared on the other side of the group, pushing comfort through Rogue.

"Is it Daisuke's blood?" Rogue felt weak in the knees as he turned to Sting, "Please tell me that's not Daisuke's blood."

Sting shook his head, gesturing to Droy to call into dispatch for a forensic team.

"I don't know, buddy…" Sting's voice cracked, the emotions of knowing the blood _could_ be Daisuke's hitting him full force too.

"He's not dead," Wendy whispered to him. Lark sensed the anguish in her voice, "Reassure them."

"He's not dead," Lark repeated, his voice shaking. Inwardly, he was panicking, but he could feel Wendy guiding him, asking him to trust her and follow her lead.

The cops turned to stare at him as Lark took a deep breath, following Wendy as she took him around the tree that he'd rested at. There was another blood stain against the trunk.

"Look - there's no way out this way. It's a dead end, but there aren't any footprints leading from here. Daisuke is injured, but he's not dead. He tried to climb the tree here. There's no evidence of a body being dragged from here…which means he walked out."

"Or he was carried," Natsu said slowly, "And they wouldn't have taken him if he was dead."

The officers glanced at each other, considering his theory.

"Get the forensics team here," Sting said to Natsu, unable to look at the scene anymore. Both he and Rogue had been cops for a very long time...but dealing with an emergency was different when it came to dealing with someone they loved dearly, "And get in touch with Lucy. Tell her we're sending our families to stay with the Dragneels for awhile. We should all be together. I'm going reinforce the police presence at the Dragneel house. And we need to find Cana. Two of you…go search every bar in town until you find her. At this point…I'm really hoping they're not together."

Bacchus nodded his appreciation as Rogue let out an agonized groan. He was starting to hyperventilate, his panic setting in full-force. Erik stayed beside him, trying to calm him down.

Natsu reached for his cell phone to call Lucy. He glanced at Sting, noting the irrefutable pain he was feeling. Rogue was sick to his stomach again as he agonized about calling Laki.

"Droy, send two officers to replace Gajeel and Rogue at Fairy Tail," Sting continued. His voice was almost mechanical, "And call every officer, even the ones off duty. We need to coordinate with everyone. Tell them to meet us on the Dragneel's back lawn."

Erik and Wendy exchanged glances. Erik had pushed that thought into Sting's head. They needed everyone in one place if the Angels had any hope of protecting everyone.

* * *

Erik and Laxus had secured their prisoner inside the Dragneel's shed on the edge of the property, away from prying eyes. It was at times like these that they were thankful the Dragneels had purchased such a large property. If the man woke up and freaked, no one would hear him. Even the police presence outside of the house would be too far away for anyone to hear.

Their arrival signified the start of the Angels' meeting. Natsu and the other officers had returned to the living room to tell Lucy that police escorts would be bringing the Eucliffe, Redfox, and Cheney families to stay at the Dragneels until they could determine what was going on. They could hear the worries whispes of the children as they listened to their father. Natsu had joined his kids in their makeshift beds, cuddling them all closely.

Mavis appeared, her worried expression immediately concerning the incoming Angels. Mavis didn't frequent Earthland often, let alone Magnolia. Her continued presence signified the gravity of the situation they all faced.

"They took Daisuke," Erik stated without even being prompted, "Even with me, Laxus and Wendy, we were outnumbered and we couldn't save him. The police were successfully led to the kidnapping site. They're gathering the families now and bringing them here."

Mavis nodded slowly, "It was a coordinated attack. It appears, however, that we now know what their objective was."

"To kidnap Daisuke?" Laxus asked, "That doesn't make sense."

"Will they kill him?" Wendy asked, the fear in her voice making it crack.

Mavis shook her head, "No. I think they want information from him. If they wanted our wards dead, they'd already be dead. We weren't prepared for this. They could've killed everyone right there…but they didn't. They only tried to scare our wards."

"For what purpose, then?" Erza asked, "What could they think Daisuke knows?"

"Or Cana," Erik said solemnly, "Cana is missing too. I think it's more likely they were testing us for strength."

Mavis nodded, acknowledging their comments, "They were testing us for strength, yes…but more, they want information. I have a theory that there were after someone more specific within the Dragneel household. But we fended off that attack, so they took Daisuke instead. Or possibly, they'd planned to take him from the start."

"Why?" Mira asked.

Mavis paced the floor as she thought things out in her head, mumbling underneath her breath.

"Maybe our 'friend' can tell us," Laxus suggested.

"Friend?" Mavis asked.

"We were able to contain one of the perpetrators," Erik confirmed, "He's not a demon…but he could know something. He helped corner Daisuke."

Mavis's eyes were dim as she nodded slowly, "Good. I will come with you to interrogate him."

She paused, glancing over the other Angels.

"In the meantime," she said, "The rest of you…I think it's a good idea to bring the remaining wards to the Dragneel house for supervision. You'll need to be ready for their arrival. They will be afraid and they'll need comfort...especially when they're told that Daisuke and Cana have both been kidnapped. Help them find some comfort until we know what our next move is."

Erik, Gray, Juvia, Erza, and Wendy all nodded.

Wendy's face fell. She wanted to go look for Daisuke again...especially since it was her fault that Daisuke had been taken. Happy and Carla were both in the living room, Carla curled up on Aimi's lap, but both stared at the Angels as they discussed their plan of action.

"Take a minute to collect yourself," Mavis said softly, putting a concerned hand on Wendy's shoulder, "I can see your pain. It isn't your fault, Wendy...you fought bravely."

Wendy's eyes filled with tears as she looked away from Mavis and the other Angels, all trying to comfort her. She was sick of being comforted. The fact that Daisuke had been taken from right under her nose plucked at her. _It was her fault._

Mavis went with Jellal and Laxus to question the prisoner. Erik went with Gray to see Cana's apartment and look for clues as to why she hadn't checked in with Bacchus. Juvia and Erza sat in the living room with the still-alarmed Dragneels.

Wendy sighed. She could afford a moment to herself, so she retreated to Lark's room to try to deal with her emotions. It wasn't like she was contributing by staying in the living room anyway.

* * *

"Ah, you're awake!" Jellal said pleasantly as he entered the shed. Laxus followed him in, assuming a standing position behind Jellal with his arms crossed intimidatingly.

The dark-haired man was bound to a wooden chair. His mouth was gagged and he was bound to the chair twice around his arms, his torso, and his legs to ensure minimal escaping potential. Jellal frowned momentarily as he noticed the pillow under the man's buttocks...then the foamie wrapped around his entire lower half. He knew the man was foul, but still… he wondered if that was really necessary.

Tossing the thought aside, Jellal pulled another chair from the stack, sitting down on it and crossing his legs, "We need to have a little chat."

Laxus leaned forward, taking the gag out of the man's mouth.

"Let's start with your name," Jellal suggested.

The man laughed loudly, "You won't get anything from me."

"You'll tell us everything," Laxus told him.

"Your name!" Jellal insisted.

"What's in it for me?" the black-haired man demanded.

"If you cooperate with us," Jellal said, leaning forward slightly, "I won't let my friend mess you up."

The black-haired man scoffed, looking Laxus up and down, "Who, him? Do you really think _he_ will scare information from me?"

Both Jellal and Laxus laughed.

"It's not _him_ you should be afraid of," Jellal told him as the door opened, "Trust me...it's in your best interest to tell us what we want to know. You don't want to face my friend."

The man paused, moving his glance to Jellal to Laxus, then to the door. Nobody came inside, but the door remained poised. The tormentor was surely on the other side...just _waiting_ to be called in to question him.

"Jiggle," he said flatly.

"Jiggle?" Jellal repeated, "What do you mean - you need to use the bathroom?"

The name shook his head, "I have no name. Those who know me quiver in fear when they hear the name I've gone by for the last several years - 'Jiggle'."

"Yeah," Laxus agreed, facepalming, "I'm shaking in my boots."

"Okay, 'Jiggle'," Jellal said, casting Laxus a warning glance, "Who was the group that attacked our friend tonight?"

"I'm not telling you anything," Jiggle reiterated, "I don't care who you bring in!"

Jellal cracked an amused lop-sided smile, "If you insist."

Jiggle tried not to show fear as the door finished opening...

He frowned. He couldn't _see what_ was entering the shed...what the heck? Was he/she invisible? Was it a human...or another demon?

He got his answer moments later as a short, blonde-haired girl stepped around Laxus, cracking her knuckles as she stood in front of him.

Jiggle couldn't contain his laughter, "Her? _She_ is what I should be so afraid of?"

The girl smiled, laughing mockingly with him for a moment, before letting her eyes grow unbelievably stern. His laughter died off, suddenly terrified as she came a bit closer. Her eyes glowed as she narrowed them at him.

"He asked you a question," Mavis snarled menacingly, gesturing to Jellal, "Who were the groups that attacked our friends tonight?"

"I don't know anything," Jiggle repeated, his large, fluffy eyebrows raised in horror as she settled her face only inches from his. She was tiny...but she was terrifying...and he had no idea why. Her glowing eyes mortified him.

"Who hired you?" Mavis demanded.

"I don't know! I was just told I'd be paid a lot of money if I helped them get the boy!" Jiggle replied.

"Not good enough," Mavis hissed, placing a single finger on his forehead. She allowed a trickle of electricity to course through it, zapping him lightly, then flicked him with her finger, "Try again...better answer, please."

"I don't know!" Jiggle repeated, his voice getting higher by the moment, "They recruited me outside a bar! I needed the money!"

"You must have heard them talking at some point!" Mavis insisted, the power in her voice making even Laxus and Jellal jump back a bit. She poked him in the forehead again, sending tears streaming down Jiggle's face, "You knew the plan beforehand, so you must have heard something."

Jiggle tried to lean his head away from Mavis's hand. Mavis poked him repeatedly in the forehead with a single digit, making him squirm.

Laxus rolled his eyes. She was having entirely too much fun with this.

"I knew they were demons!" Jiggle wailed, "I figured that much out quickly. They said they were from some church...the Church of... _something._ I didn't pay attention! I'm only in it for the money! I know nothing of the larger plan - I swear it!"

"The Church of Alvarez," Mavis whispered, her stare turning blank. She poked him again absently.

"Yes! That's it!" Jiggle exclaimed.

Laxus and Jellal both caught the look crossing Mavis's face before she returned to her interrogator stance, going back to her flicking stance. The flicks hurt more than the pokes. Jiggle cringed, tears running shamelessly from his eyes.

"What do they want the boy for?" Mavis yelled, her fingers in flicking position. She flicked him - hard - in the middle of his forehead.

" _INFORMATION!"_ Jiggle cried out, ""No more...please no more!"

" _WHAT_ information?!" Mavis demanded.

"I don't know!" Jiggle blubbered, "Something about wanting to know if some kid was related to some guy! They kept calling him _The Son!_ Their plan was to push him into using his special abilities! That's all I know! I swear it!"

The room went dead quiet as Mavis glanced back at Jellal and Laxus, her expression a mixture of pain and understanding. Mavis had taken more out of that statement than either Laxus or Jellal had. She had received the answer she was looking for...now she just needed to explain it to the other Angels.

"Pity," Mavis uttered, stepping away slightly from Jiggle. She waved her hand. Jiggle shook his head vigorously, as though he were waking up from a bad dream. Jellal and Laxus glanced at each other, both realizing she'd been using some advanced illusion or funky Angel-related way of making him tell the truth. Both were tactics far above either Laxus or Jellal's capabilities.

Jiggle stopped squirming, his eyes frantically questioning her why she would choose that particular word.

"Your actions helped separate a family tonight," Mavis said sternly, staring directly into his eyes, "Two parents are wondering where their child is tonight...and if he'll be coming home again."

She watched his face for signs of remorse, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw his eyes cloud over, then glance downward.

She clapped her hands, waking everyone up from their stupor, "We're done here. He doesn't know anything else."

"How do you _know?"_ Jellal asked, standing up from the chair.

She glanced back at Jiggle, his face contorted with emotion.

"He has a conscience," she said softly, "He's feeling guilty right now for his part in this. He knows what he did was wrong. You can turn him over to Sting now. But first, offer him a chance to straighten his ways. Meet me back in the house in 10 minutes. I'll tell the other Angels to gather."

Mavis spun on her heel, leaving the shed without a backward glance.

Jiggle let out an enormous breath of air, clearly displaying his absolute relief that she was gone.

Suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed as new stress took over his features.

"Wait...who's Sting?"

* * *

"Wendy!" Lark called in a whisper, "Wendy – where are you?"

He was alone in his room. He hadn't even tried to turn the light on. He just needed answers… and he hoped perhaps Wendy could give him a few.

"You said you wouldn't leave me!" he hissed, "Damn it, Wendy! Where are you?"

Wendy appeared on the window sill. He let out a sigh of relief. He prepared his lambasting of questions in his head, sure she'd have some answers.

"What the hell is going..." Lark's voice trailed off as he realized her face was downcast, worry vibes being sent off instead of comfort.

"Wendy," he whispered, "Are we safe right now?"

She nodded, refusing to meet his gaze, "For now."

"In the forest where Daisuke was taken..." Lark said quietly, "...did you possess me?"

She shook her head, "No. I _nudged_ you. It was necessary. The police needed to know what happened there."

"And what about the visions I was having? It was like I was could see where to go," Lark glanced at her, "It was almost like I was there with you at the time that it happened."

"I shared my memory with you to help you know where to go," she told him, "The police needed to know what happened."

"That Daisuke had been attacked," Lark muttered, a glint of anger, "I'll freakin' pummel Toby and Yuka into next week when I catch up to them."

He watched her turn her head away from him, lowering her eyes. She drew her knees up to her chest, burying her face in her arms.

 _She's crying,_ he realized.

He approached her slowly, hesitating before reaching for her. She pushed him away at first, sniffing back her tears, but he persistently wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in gently. Her sobs came slowly at first, then heavier until she was heaving against him. He pressed his lips to her head, wishing he had both arms to comfort her.

It occurred to him that she was simply answering his questions. She wasn't telling him how she felt about anything. He wondered if anyone had helped her deal with how she viewed the attack.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

Her fingers gripped his arms, pinching his skin slightly, "I wasn't strong enough, Lark…I couldn't save him."

He paused before lifting her chin slightly so he could see her eyes. She looked away immediately, too ashamed to look at him.

 _She tried to save Daisuke...that's why she hadn't been there when the attack on our house happened._

"What _happened_?" he repeated.

She sniffed back another sob, lowering her eyes again, burying them in his chest.

"Wendy…"

"I knew he was going to be followed," she choked out, " _They_ were there on the path with you and Daisuke...and then again when Natsu and Lucy went for their walk. And I went after him. I was going to bring him back to the house…but they surrounded him…"

"Who?" Lark prodded, " _WHO_ surrounded him?"

"Demons," she whispered, "Demons and your human rivals…Toby and Yuka."

Lark wasn't sure what part of that statement to react to first…he felt a burning anger in his stomach. When she'd been guiding him in the forest to help the police find the evidence they needed to know Daisuke had been kidnapped, he'd sensed part of the story. But it didn't make sense.

 _Toby and Yuka. What did they have to do with this?_

"Tell me what happened," he urged gently, deciding to let her talk first before expressing his anxieties.

She was distraught. A new wave of tears escaped her eyes. He pulled her in closer to his side, stroking her hair with his good hand. He'd never seen any Angel show this much emotion before. She clenched her fingers on his chest. He wished he could use both arms. He pressed his forehead to hers to help encourage her.

"Daisuke fought," she told him, her voice steadier, "He was incredible. He almost made his escape a couple times."

He nodded, moving his good hand to cradle her face, "Then what?"

"There were too many," she whispered, "They surrounded him and they had weapons."

"Where were Toby and Yuka during this?" he asked, trying not to let the venom in his voice show.

"They ran away," Wendy said softly. Her sobs were subsiding now. It seemed the closer Lark held her, the calmer she became, "And the men…they started hitting Daisuke. They had crowbars. And they were hurting him. I knew I had to intervene."

"How?" he whispered. His good hand stroked her hair at the back of her head gently, encouraging her to go on.

"I…I used my _abilities_ ," she told him. Every fibre of her being told her she shouldn't be telling him that. She was unaware if Lark knew about abilities. Of all the lines she'd crossed before though…

"Abilities?" he asked dubiously, "Like powers? Like how you helped me the evidence the police needed?"

She nodded, "I was able to keep them away from him. Two other Angels arrived to help me and they subdued a few of the men. I took care of one…but when we turned back to where I'd left Daisuke…he was gone."

"Wendy," Lark whispered as she buried her face in his shoulder.

He waited a few moments for her to release the fresh tears, patting her gently.

"Why?" he asked, somewhat more to himself than her, "What do Toby and Yuka have to do with this?"

Wendy was quiet for a long moment, knowing he was about to get very angry.

"Wendy..."

"They have been bullying your siblings at school. Sora and Daisuke, too," Wendy whispered, "I don't know why or what the bullying had to do with it...but they were there and they helped trap Daisuke."

Lark fought not to let his anger rise. Wendy was trusting him with details he wouldn't have known otherwise...and she needed him right now. He bit his lip to control his anger. Now he knew what Daisuke and the others had been keeping from him.

He squeezed her with his good arm, willing himself to shelf his anger for a moment.

"Where did they take him, Wendy?" he asked gently.

She shook her head, "I don't know. It's my fault, Lark…I wasn't strong enough."

"It seems to me," he told her when she calmed down a bit again, "that you did everything you could. It's not your fault."

She sniffed again, pulling back slightly. Her face changed, the tears disappearing in favour of a different expression that Lark couldn't completely identify.

"Except it is," she told him. She knew she was repeating herself, but Lark didn't understand. He _couldn't_ understand, "I wasn't strong enough. The other Angels…they'll be trained to use Offensive Ability… They made an exception for me _again_ because _I didn't want to hurt other beings_. I turned the training down."

She pulled completely away from him, pacing the room angrily.

"I wasn't _thinking_ , Lark! It never even occurred to me that maybe the point of learning Offensive Ability isn't to hurt other beings!" she was half-yelling now.

Lark's eyes were wide as he watched rage overcome any feeling of inadequacy she'd been having moments ago.

"The point," she shouted, "is to _protect_ the people you care about! And _I couldn't protect him!_ I was useless! Powerless!"

Lark was confused, not completely sure what she was talking about.

She paused, the tears gathering in her eyes again, "I'm sorry, Lark."

He shook his head, "Wendy, I -"

She took a deep breath, meeting his gaze for a long moment. Determination replaced the anxiety on her face as she stomped into the shadows. He wondered where she was going...and wished he could go with her. He felt inadequate too. He knew something was going on...and it was likely his fault somehow.

His thoughts turned back to Daisuke. He closed his eyes, praying for Daisuke's safety, then did some stomping of his own – to the living room to demand why Toby and Yuka would have something to do with Daisuke's kidnapping.

* * *

"I need my key," Wendy told Mavis.

She had stormed into the tactical meeting being held in Natsu and Lucy's bedroom between the senior Angels. Laxus, Mirajane, Erik, Jellal, and Mavis all regarded her entrance. The other Angels would soon be summoned once the senior Angels agreed on a plan. It was highly unusual for Wendy to interrupt…or be confrontational.

"We were just discussing that Angels will start disappearing for their training as their keys light up," Erik told her, "There will be 8 hour periods after training where each Angel will need to sleep. We're going to need all available Angels to help keep everyone safe during that time."

"I need my key," Wendy repeated, looking directly into Mavis's eyes, completely ignoring Erik. Her eyes were glued to Mavis's.

"You didn't _want_ your key," Mavis stated.

Wendy hadn't had a lot of talking time with Mavis in the past…in fact, she wasn't sure that they'd ever spoken directly to one another. It was intimidating to stare Mavis down, even though Mavis was probably smaller than Wendy.

"I want it now," Wendy told her, "It's my fault Daisuke is missing…and I need to be able to protect everyone in that living room. I want the training."

Mavis turned her body from the circle of Angels to face Wendy, "You know the training is intense. It will exhaust you."

Wendy nodded.

"And Larcade is out in that living room right now, learning about a secret that everyone kept from him for an entire week," Mavis continued, "He's going to be ticked…and from what Erik and Jellal tell me, that usually precipitates his stupid stunts. Are you _sure_ you want to leave him that long to learn Offensive Abilities?"

Wendy held her gaze, swallowing down a lump in her throat.

"It's _because_ I want to protect him that I need to learn Offensive Abilities," she stated.

Mavis's eyes widened as Wendy blushed lightly, aware of the stares she was getting from all the Angels in the room.

"I need to protect him and his family and friends," she backtracked.

Mavis looked at Wendy up and down, studying her face.

"And what if I tell you that you missed your chance? You told Erik you didn't want it."

Wendy paused, taking a deep breath, "I was doing _something_ right in that forest when I was trying to protect Daisuke. If you won't provide me with a teacher, then I'll learn on my own."

The standoff continued for another minute as Mavis regarded Wendy silently. She was so young. She looked like a young Earthland teenager, not an Angel who had grown up in Heaven. Over the years, she'd gained so much experience. She outranked many of the newer arrivals in Heaven. And yet, she hadn't risen in the ranks of her fellow Angels. She had been protected and guarded. The entire team loved her...but Wendy was stuck in a looping circle with no progression of her abilities.

Mavis had always heard good things about Wendy's ability as a Changeover Angel. She had copious amounts of empathy for humans. She was kind and gentle and always tried to do her best to comfort her wards. Mavis had learned that she needed to challenge Wendy in order to help her grow into her capabilities. Wendy needed to realize for herself that she needed to take the initiative and _want_ the training.

It seemed that Wendy had come to the same conclusion all on her own.

Mavis reached below her collar line, pulling a key with a corded rope around it, watching the girl as she reached for her. Wendy was trembling slightly. Perhaps she was realizing she'd just stared down the Daughter of God. Perhaps her words were as brave as Mavis thought they sounded and Wendy was reaching a new level in her Angel-hood all on her own.

She placed the corded rope around Wendy's neck, stepping back as Wendy bowed to her. Mavis reached down, guiding Wendy to a standing position.

"We are equals here, Wendy," she told her, "You will learn Offensive Abilities before the night is out and join your fellow Angels in fighting whatever is threatening Magnolia."

Wendy nodded, noting the pride in Erik and Jellal's faces.

"Oh, and Wendy!" Mavis said as Wendy sat on the bed _._ The other Angels would be summoned now to join them and learn of the new plan.

Wendy turned, regarding the blonde-haired Angel.

"I promise we'll find Daisuke…I'm trusting you to look after Larcade while that happens and keep him out of harm's way. He will be wondering if this is his fault...stay close to him," Mavis's eyes had turned kind, confusing Wendy until she realized Mavis had been testing her to see if her motives for taking the key were true, "And you don't need to worry about who will watch him while you're sleeping after training…I'll do it myself."

Wendy nodded, holding Mavis's gaze for a long minute. She had often heard Mavis was a really nice Angel, but that she could be seriously intimidating.

That was the biggest understatement of the year.

But Wendy felt a renewed sense of hope as she thumbed her key, admiring the golden flash of it in her fingers.

"You got your key," Gray said, appearing beside her.

One by one, the other Angels appeared: Juvia, Erza, and Gajeel. Happy and Carla wandered into the room as well, all ready to learn what Mavis, Jellal, and Laxus had extracted from their prisoner.

Wendy nodded, smiling slightly as she held it up for Gray to see, "I want to protect the people that matter to me."

"We're proud of you," Juvia said softly, squeezing Wendy's hand, "We all look at you as the little sister we all need to protect...but you're so strong Wendy...you don't need us to look after you."

"Thank you," Wendy said meekly.

"We talked to the prisoner about what happened tonight and what the demons' objective was," Laxus stated to the other Angels, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand.

Happy and Carla joined the other Angels in the bedroom, all listening with perked ears.

"I don't understand all the details yet," Mavis continued, "but it seems we're dealing with the Church of Alvarez."

"What's that?" Happy asked, "Like Sunday School?"

Mavis shook her head, "No. More like a cult of Zeref worshippers."

"Zeref worshippers?" Carla repeated, "Who's that?"

Mavis paused, taking a deep breath, "I think they're after Larcade. The prisoner indicated they were trying to draw out the son…to see if it's him or not. Larcade is the son of Zeref…and Zeref is the ruler of the underworld."

The Angels exchanged shocked expressions.

"But Lark…" Juvia said slowly, "Isn't he _your_ son?"

Mavis nodded slowly, "Yes. I stole him from Hell when Larcade was just an infant. Zeref has never stopped looking for him."

Wendy's eyes widened, suddenly wondering if she could afford the time to train. That meant Lark was in imminent danger. Not to mention Daisuke and Cana.

"The senior Angels will look after the wards while you get your training done," Mavis vowed, "Which is why it was very intuitive of Erik to gather them all here for us. You will require an 8-hour sleeping period after the training…but we can't afford to wait any longer. The instructors have been summoned."

Each Angel glanced at the golden necklaces around their necks, noting the keys lighting up one by one, including Wendy's.

"Levy will join you once Sora is on her way here with Mira," Mavis stated, closing her eyes.

The Angels felt a deep calmness flood them as they entered a deep sense of meditation. Mavis murmured something under her breath, then released the meditative state.

Each Angel slowly opened their eyes, pulling their glowing keys from their chests.

"I've just opened your minds," Mavis told them, "If you'll remember when Natsu had a lot to absorb in a short time…that's what I've just done. The training will start now. If you want to back out, now is the time."

Wendy stared at her key, feeling all the Angels' eyes on her. She wasn't backing out. She needed this. She already knew no other Angel would speak up. They were all waiting to ensure that _she_ wouldn't change _her_ mind.

"Okay," Mavis said once she was satisfied that no one was going to back out, "Then let's begin."

Gray glanced at Jellal, Erik, Mirajane, and Laxus, gesturing toward the living room, "Take care of them."

"See you all afterward," Laxus replied.

The Angels took a deep breath, put their keys into the air, and turned them. The senior Angels stood in their spots, watching the space where the trainee Angels had been only moments ago.

As Erik, Jellal, and Laxus turned to leave the hallway, Mirajane paused, glancing back at Mavis.

"You didn't challenge any of the other Angels for their keys," she stated, cocking her head inquisitively, "but you challenged Wendy."

"The other Angels already knew it's what they have to do to protect the people they love," Mavis replied, "Wendy's confidence needs to grow. She thinks she has to be dependant on the rest of Crime Sorciere to protect her. I needed to challenge her so she could determine for herself how important it is for her to be capable of protecting those she cares about on her own."

Mira nodded as Mavis peered into the living room, just in time to witness Lark tucking the smallest children into their make-shift beds. He kissed Brielle's forehead tenderly, then Connor's.

"The Church of Alvarez…I think their objective is to determine whether Larcade is The Son or not," Mavis murmured to Mira, "We have to be on our guard, although I'm guessing they won't attack until they've had a chance to question both Daisuke and Cana."

"Will they kill them?" Mira asked, watching the older Dragneel kids pull mattresses into the living room and dining room floors to prepare for the other families that would arrive soon. It wasn't likely the kids Lark had so lovingly tucked in would sleep once they arrived.

Mavis shook her head, "I wish I knew."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Anyone following the manga? I am...freaking...out...**_

 _ **A reminder that the poll on my Profile will be open again this week. It's just a curiosity thing - who is your favourite Angel of Oops 2 ship? I'll be sure to show the poll results when it gets closed, but I'll leave it open this week and next week.**_

 _ **Chapter 20 Exert...for those that seem to enjoy the tiny sneak peeks :D**_

 _Carla's eyebrows furrowing as she took in the strange appearance of the new arrival. He was green in colour...an Exceed, so Carla was pretty sure he was supposed to be a cat...but he was wearing a froggy onesie. Pink, no less._

 _"You see? There are mutant frogs!," Happy said to Carla with wide eyes, turning back to the stranger, "You must be our instructor."_

 _"Fro thinks so too!" the stranger agreed, nodding curtly._


	20. Chapter 20

"Why are we going to Lark's house _now?"_ Sora muttered. She'd been having a good sleep when her mother rudely slammed her bedroom door open and demanded that she get up, despite the fact that she was already in her pajamas, and very deep into her slumber. Levy barely gave her time to slip into regular clothes before bulldozing her out the door.

She introduced her to some lady she called Sora's 'Auntie Mira', then pushed them outside, telling Sora go with Mira.

"Sorry, baby. Something happened...I need Mira to take you to the Dragneels," Levy apologized.

"What happened?" Sora asked, slightly panicked, "Where are you going?"

Levy shook her head, ushering Sora toward the waiting police car.

"A police escort?" Sora exclaimed, "Mom!?"

"Just get in the car, Sora," Levy told her tiredly. She was sick with worry, knowing everything that the Angels knew, but playing oblivious for the sake of the humans. She knew that the news that Daisuke and Cana were both missing would devastate everyone...and it was _hard_ to keep it to herself since she was devastated too, "Lucy knows you're coming. I should be there by morning - I have to check in with your dad."

Sora was confused, but couldn't really comment. Her mother was sending her whether she wanted to go or not. Maybe the adults were finally going to level with the teens and explain what was happening at Fairy Tail. She scoffed to herself. As if.

Mira sat in the back seat with Sora, watching around the vehicle for any signs of trouble.

Mavis was right - there was safety in numbers. But could she protect Sora if they were to be attacked now? Mira had a good handle on her Offensive Abilities but she wasn't sure how she'd fare if they were outnumbered. Nor did they know what they were up against. A chill made its way down her spine. She took a deep breath, then concentrated on the surroundings for any suspicious movement.

Levy sighed as the car disappeared around the corner, then hurried inside to her blinded bedroom so nobody could see her take her key out and turn it in mid-air. Gajeel was already gone for his training. Levy needed to get to her instructor now. Sora would be safe with the Angels at the Dragneel house. She silently prayed for her daughter's forgiveness as she disappeared through the door that had appeared in front of her.

* * *

"Mrs. Cheney," Vijeeter nodded as she opened the door, grabbing the backpack that she'd packed with overnight clothes for herself and Megumi. Megumi finished putting on her shoes, glancing up at her mother for permission to follow the officer to his car.

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about?" Laki snapped, taking Megumi's hand as she followed Vijeeter outside, "Where is my son? Did you find him?"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. Sting will tell you what's happening when you get to the house," Droy promised her, opening the back door of the squad car for the two ladies.

"Momma?" Megumi asked, "Did they find Daisuke?"

Laki couldn't answer her. A hard lump formed in the back of her throat. She had a sinking feeling they _hadn't_ found Daisuke...because she couldn't think of another reason they'd be asking her and Megumi to join the Dragneels for the night.

She couldn't let the tears get to her. She had to be strong for Megumi. Choking them back, she took a deep breath, and climbed into the car behind her daughter.

* * *

"Please just come with us," Nab begged Yukino, "Sting said we had to pick you up...please? You can talk to him once we get to the Dragneel house."

Yukino's arms were crossed, anger furrowing her brow, "Well, _Sting_ should've come to get us himself if he's that worried!"

She pulled out her cell phone, pressing Sting's number on speed-dial.

Ren and Saichi sat on the couch, both absorbed in whatever games they were playing on their cell phones, barely paying attention to the exchange.

" _Yuki?"_ the voice on the other asked he picked up the phone.

"What in the hell, Sting?" Yukino demanded, foregoing the pleasantries, "What in the hell is going on that you'd make the kids and I go out _with a police escort_ at 11:00 at night?"

 _"Yuki, I'll tell you everything,"_ Sting promised, " _Just get in the car. I'm already here, waiting for you."_

 _"_ Sting..." Yukino's voice trailed off for a moment as she caught the tone in his voice. She had never heard this tone from him before...it that told her things were entirely out of control and he was on the verge of a breakdown, "What happened?"

" _It's not good,"_ Sting confirmed, " _And I'm going to need you to help me. Please Yuki...get in the car. I'll talk to everyone when you get here."_

Yukino frowned, "Sting...are we in danger?"

There was a long pause. She could almost feel the fear and worry emanating from him through the phone. She heard him suck in a sharp breath as he contemplated his answer.

" _I don't know, Yuki...I just want you and the kids here where it will be safe as soon as possible."_

"Okay," she said finally.

She hung up, the worry on her face making both Ren and Saichi put their phones in their pockets. Sting would never insist she have a police escort without a reason.

"Mom?" Saichi asked.

"C'mon, you two," she said absently, "We need to go with Nab and the other officers."

They frowned, but got off the couch immediately, following Yukino out the door.

* * *

Lark finished kissing Connor and Brielle goodnight, knowing they would not sleep. Lucy had just announced that the Cheneys, Redfoxes, and Eucliffes would be arriving very shortly to stay over for the night.

He could see the conflict in Lucy's eyes as she accepted the directions from her husband over the phone and her frustration when Natsu wouldn't answer her questions. They were to fill the living room (and the kitchen if necessary) with the mattresses from their bedrooms to accommodate everyone spending the night. Lark could see Lucy's inner turmoil. She was still oblivious to the details that Lark, Natsu and Rogue had learned about Daisuke's disappearance. He could only imagine how she'd react once she heard the new revelations. Although it was highly unusual for Natsu to keep anything from Lucy that pertained to the family, he realized Natsu was purposely keeping the new information from everyone until the other families arrived.

That didn't change the fact that _everyone_ needed answers. Daisuke, Sora, Aki and the twins had known something was wrong all week. They hadn't told anybody what was going on. Why? It was unusual for any of them to lie or hide things...and if they'd been honest from the start, maybe Daisuke wouldn't be out there somewhere, detained by the very people that had tortured them all week long.

Lark stood after a moment, deciding to confront Aki before the other families arrived. He approached Lucy with dark, angry eyes.

"Where's Aki?" he asked.

"She's gathering mattresses!" Lucy said slowly, studying Lark's angry eyes, "What's wrong with you? Why do you look like you're going to tear her apart?"

"Oh, I'm not going to tear _her_ apart," Lark spat, "But I _do_ want the truth from her!"

As if on cue, Aki and Hansuke stepped into the living room with the mattress from Hansuke's room. Their eyes met, instantly chilling Aki to the bone.

"How long?" Lark demanded, staring Aki down.

"How long for what?" Aki asked, placing the mattress again the wall so she could face him.

"How long were Toby and Yuka bullying you?" Lark's voice raised.

Aki froze in fear, glancing to her mother as her own anger took over, "You _told_ him?"

"I didn't tell him anything!" Lucy denied, looking back at Lark with concern.

"It doesn't matter how I know!" Lark yelled, "Answer the question! How long has this been going on?"

Aki paused for a moment as the twins came in with their mattresses. They'd heard the commotion. Aimi hid behind Haru as they stood behind Aki. Mieske and Hansuke both looked confused. Brielle and Connor sat up, watching the entire scene.

"Lark," Lucy interrupted, running to stand between him and Aki, "It's been all week. Your dad knows - he's going to handle it!"

"You _knew?"_ Lark exclaimed, running his hand through his hair in utter frustration.

As though the whole family had perfect timing tonight, Natsu entered the kitchen, followed by Sting. The families started to arrive as well, everyone cramming through the door. Sora arrived alone, the fear in her eyes prominent on her facial features as she met Lark's eyes from across the room. The tension stopped them in their tracks, everyone staring at Lucy holding Lark back from his sister.

"What's going on?" Natsu asked, guiding Aki to the table and making her sit down. Lucy guided Lark to the living room to put some distance between them.

"What's going on is that they didn't tell anyone about the bullying!" Lark bellowed, pointing an accusing finger at Aki and the twins.

"What bullying?" Yukino asked slowly as everyone filtered in, "Who's 'they'?"

"The bullying that my dear siblings, Sora, and Daisuke weren't going to tell us about!" Lark exclaimed, gesturing toward Aki and Sora, who had gravitated together.

All eyes were on Sora, Aki and the twins.

"Toby and Yuka have been bullying us all week," Sora stated calmly. She stared at feet, avoiding the curious stares from her friends and family.

"But that has nothing to do with anything at the moment!" Lucy interjected, "Please Lark...we only found out earlier in the day ourselves. The kids were trying to deal with it on their own so you wouldn't worry. The adults will deal with it."

"It's too late to 'deal' with it!" Lark cried out, "Because now Daisuke is gone and Toby and Yuka have something to do with it!"

The entire room froze, Laki's face draining of colour as she met Sting's gaze across the room.

"What?" she asked in horror, almost in a trance.

"We were going to tell everyone when they get here," Sting told her, "Please, Laki. Sit down. Everyone sit down! Please."

"What's he talking about, Sting?" Laki demanded, "Where is Daisuke? And where in the hell is Rogue?"

"Let's sit down, Laki," Sting repeated, reaching for her elbow.

She ripped her arm away from his extended hand, whirling around and slapping him straight across the face. His hand covered the already reddening cheek, eyes wide in absolute shock. Laki had never raised a hand to anyone as long they'd all known her - especially because as a lawyer, she knew what the consequences were for undue violence.

"I _don't want to sit down!"_ she screamed, "I want to know where my son is and what it has to do with the bullying! Quit keeping secrets, Sting! We all have the right to know what's going on too! If there wasn't a threat, none of us would be here right now! _NOW_ \- _WHERE - IS - MY - BABY?"_

She stressed the last sentence so emphatically, that the entire room went quiet. Brielle and Connor moved over to let Megumi between them as they all watched the standoff. Lucy and Yukino exchanged helpless glances, feeling Laki's pain as only fellow mothers could.

Natsu nodded to Sting, encouraging him to continue. Laki was right about that. Everyone had the right to know. Sting took a deep breath, begging his wife with his eyes for her support as he chose his next words carefully.

"We've been attacked," Sting confirmed to the entire group, "And before you ask, no...we _don't_ know who exactly is targeting us. We are safer together, however. A police presence has been staked around the house...and we're looking for Daisuke and whoever else hasn't been accounted for."

Stunned eyes stared at him, the room dead silent.

"Where...is...Daisuke?" Lark said slowly, his voice trembling. They'd found Daisuke's cell phone and his blood in the woods...but nobody had said out loud that it was no animal that attacked Daisuke.

Sting looked down at his feet, taking a deep breath.

"They took him," he confirmed finally.

"You BASTARD!" Laki exclaimed, breaking free of Lucy's grip, smashing her fists against Sting's chest again, "Does Rogue even know yet? You've got him protecting those low-life jerks that almost killed us all - and his son is missing! Our _baby_ is missing!'

Sting didn't even try to fend off her blows. Yukino and Lucy both rushed to her side, trying to gently hold her fists back.

Laki collapsed to the ground at Sting's feet as a barrage of tears overtook her, her body convulsing with painful sobs. Sting's eyes filled with tears too, as did Yukino's as they made eye contact.

Megumi's tears streamed down her face as reality hit her. Brielle reached for one of her hands. Connor took the other.

"Laki," Lucy whispered, kneeling beside her, glancing at Natsu, "Rogue is here. Sting called him away from Fairy Tail as soon as they knew something was wrong. He's outside with the other police officers."

Natsu took off to find him.

Connor and Brielle embraced Megumi, all of them crying silently. Ren and Saichi sat with the twins, Hansuke and Mieske, each staring with equally blank expressions.

Once again, the room was completely still. Lark felt Sora come beside him and squeeze his hand, her eyes begging for forgiveness for keeping the secret from him. He moved his good arm around her and pulled her tight to his side, nuzzling the top of her head with his nose.

"Where's your mother?" he asked.

Sora shook her head, taking a heaving breath.

"Daisuke _can't_ be missing," she whispered like she hadn't even heard him. Her eyes displayed her horror. She buried her head in Lark's shoulder. Lark furrowed his eyebrows, realizing Levy must be convening with the other Angels. He tightened his arm around her.

"It'll be okay," he promised.

The door flew open and Rogue rushed in, followed by Natsu, who went to stand with his wife.

"Don't touch me!" Laki seethed, pushing Rogue away, "I don't want you to touch me right now!"

Rogue's eyes widened, as he reached for her again, positive she couldn't mean that. But she pushed him back with both arms.

"I said _don't touch me!"_

Lucy and Yukino exchanged glances, both moving in to comfort Laki. She allowed them to rub her back.

"Who took him?" Laki demanded, her eyes shooting darts at both Sting and Rogue.

"We don't know," Rogue said. He looked awful, his cheeks bright red and his eyes swollen, "But we're going to have a police meeting in about 15 minutes, Laki. We're all going out there to look for him."

"Toby and Yuka," Lark said under his breath, loud enough for everyone to hear, "They've been bullying them all week long and now Daisuke is gone."

"There's no way two teenage boys could pull off a kidnapping and terrorize different locations at the same time," Yukino argued, "There was an attack here, wherever Daisuke was taken, and…likely another on Cana."

The room froze again, digesting the new information. For many, this was the first they had heard about Cana being missing as well.

"What makes you think Toby and Yuka are involved?" Sting asked Lark.

"What makes you think questioning _me_ is more important than trying to track them down _right now?!"_ Lark demanded, "I'm telling you – they're involved! And if they weren't the orchestrators, then they'll know who the hell is! Check their records! Daisuke, Sora, and the twins all mentioned yesterday that neither Toby or Yuka were at school yesterday. Track them down, you'll find Daisuke and Cana."

The younger kids sucked in their breaths, awed at how Lark stared down Sting and almost every adult in the room. Brielle felt herself tearing up again, moving to Aimi for support.

Sting broke the stand-off, reaching for his cell, "Okay, Lark...we'll follow this lead."

Lark nodded to him, thankful his comments would be taken seriously.

Lark's eyes were burning as he turned to Aki and Sora, "You're going to tell me everything!"

The girls cringed, almost jumping as Lucy moved behind them protectively. Lark's arm still hung protectively over Sora's shoulders. She stood with Aki on the other side of her, her face completely devoid of colour.

"I need you to run a couple names, Evergreen," Sting stated, walking down the hall to make his requests to the police station.

Lark glanced back at Aki, noticing the twins skulking into the background too.

Natsu turned to Lark, "I only just found out about it. I was planning on storming their houses with a police brigade and letting their parents know what I think of their kids…but there's more to the picture now. Flying off the handle is not going to help anything."

Lark felt comfort being pushed through him, making him realize there were definitely other Angels around. They were warning him to back down too. He frowned slightly, realizing Wendy was not amongst them. Or at least he didn't _think_ she was.

He glanced over at his mother and Yukino, both on the floor with their arms around Laki, who was now sobbing heavily. The twins, Aki, Ren and Saichi had all convened at the kitchen table, trying to absorb everything that had just happened.

"The Magnolia Police Force has been called in," Rogue said out loud, but the words were meant for his wife, who still didn't want him near her, "Every single officer has been called out of their beds. A lot of them are off-duty, but they're still coming. We're going to meet on the lawn because they _care_ and they want Daisuke and Cana found too. And we'll figure out what to do."

His eyes filled with tears, begging his wife to acknowledge that he was hurting too. He held out an unsteady hand toward her, requesting her permission to hug her and share the pain they both felt.

"No, Rogue," Laki said in a low voice, "I am _really, really_ pissed off right now. And although I know it's not your fault...I really don't want you to touch me."

Rogue nodded, the tears escaping down his cheeks as he backed away a couple steps. Sting put a hand on his shoulder, ticking his head toward the bedroom so they could talk with Natsu before the meeting. Laki stared back at Rogue, her chest still heaving as Sting steered Rogue away.

"We can talk in our room," Natsu said, leading Sting, Rogue, and Yukino to the bedroom.

Now free of children's - and Laki's - ears, Rogue lost it.

"What the _fuck_ is going on?" he yelled, "Where's Daisuke? And don't give me that shit that we'll find him! _What the hell happened?_ "

"We were attacked," Sting told him, "We don't know by who or why, but it seems the Dragneels were attacked as well as Daisuke...and Cana."

"Daisuke wouldn't go with anyone!" Rogue argued, "And he'd break noses before being taken forcibly…So, where in the hell is he? Where did he get taken? WHY?"

Sting shook his head, "We don't know, Rogue…we just don't know."

" _THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!"_ Rogue screamed in his face, "Fuck! FUCK! _FUCK_!"

He hit the dresser with his fist, heaving deep breaths as he tried regain control of his emotions. Yukino tried to touch his back reassuringly, but he shrugged her off. Yukino and Sting exchanged glances, both very concerned about their friend. Natsu wondered how much of his emotion was due to his son being missing versus his wife's rejection. Faced with both situations simultaneously, he didn't blame Rogue for reacting so strongly.

"Laki isn't angry with you," Yukino tried to reason with him, "Rogue...she's scared. Just give her time."

Rogue shook his head, "I'm in just as much pain as she is. We should be dealing with this together."

Yukino nodded, forcing him into a hug. This time, he allowed it.

"We know," she told him, making eye contact with Sting behind Rogue's back. Sting could read Yukino's eyes. She was telling him to elaborate on the plan of action so Rogue would know he was not facing this alone.

"We're calling in Gildarts," Sting promised his best friend, "Everyone knows he's the best tracker we've ever had on the force. We're going to have him at the scene where we found the cell phone. If anyone will be able to tell what happened next, it will be Gildarts. We'll have the meeting, then the ones that aren't guarding us on the outside of this house will be in patrol cars, searching the city for any clues."

Rogue nodded, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He knew better than anyone how personal this would be for Sting. Daisuke and Megumi were Sting's family too, just as Sting's family was Rogue's. His kids, Ren and Saichi, didn't always hang out with the other kids since they were so sports-oriented, but the kids were like cousins. Everyone was feeling the stress and devastation of having someone they loved go missing. It hurt that Laki was pushing him away.

"Natsu…" Sting said softly, "Can you check on Laki please? Let her know Rogue will be out in a minute. Encourage her...they need to deal with their emotions together. Yuki...you go too. Laki will listen to you."

Natsu gave them all suspicious looks, knowing it was a lame excuse to talk alone, but he nodded, disappearing out the door. Yukino followed him, pleading with her eyes for Sting to figure out another plan of action...fast.

Sting looked around the room, "C'mon out, you guys."

Rogue could feel the comfort in the room as Jellal, Erik, and two other Angels he'd never seen before stepped into view. But he didn't _want_ comfort.

"The truth!" Rogue demanded, "You wouldn't have sent Natsu and Yukino out if there wasn't more to this story!"

Sting shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Erik and Jellal for help.

"It was a coordinated demon attack," Jellal said quietly, "In more locations than one."

Rogue's face lost its remaining colour. It was the last thing he'd expected to hear.

"Did they take Cana too?" Sting asked, trying to remain calm after hearing the words 'demon attack'.

"We don't know," Jellal said, "But it's likely. We can't find her anywhere. We've had a couple Angels out looking for her and we know Bacchus has been to every bar in town."

"Mavis," Rogue whispered, "Cana would never go willingly with anyone either...where in the hell are they?"

"We're sorry," Erik told Rogue, one hand on his shoulder, "We tried to protect him."

"And we _will_ find him," a burly, blonde-haired Angel with a scar on his cheek promised, "And also Cana."

"Who are you?" Sting asked, gesturing toward the other two Angels, "Were you with Daisuke when he was attacked? Is that how you know they were demons?"

"These are our colleagues," Jellal explained, "Laxus and Mirajane. And yes. Erik, Laxus and Wendy were there."

"Wendy tried to save Daisuke on her own," Erik said, "She did all she could, Rogue…"

Rogue shot him an angry glance. He didn't want to hear about the effort to _try_ to save his boy…FROM DEMONS! He wanted his boy home _safe_. Every cell in his body turned cold.

"Heaven knows what's happening here," Mirajane cut in, smiling sweetly to try to break the tension, "And we're formulating a plan as we speak…we'll get him back. There is a very heavy Angelic presence here tonight too."

"And we don't believe they'll hurt him," Laxus cut in, "They wanted him for a reason...they're looking for information."

"How do you _know_ that?" Rogue demanded, "We're not even talking about bad humans here! These are demons... _MAVIS!_ How am I supposed to handle this? What do I tell Laki? _What will they do to my son!?"_

Mavis materialized, gently taking Rogue into a hug. She soothed her hand down the back of his hair, whispering to him. Rogue calmed down almost immediately, heaving giant sighs that slowly began to subside.

He took a deep breath, "I'm going to find Laki."

The Angels nodded, sending comfort through him as he disappeared out the door. Sting's face was lined with worry as he followed his friend out the door, casting a begging glance over his shoulder for the Angels to step in and find Daisuke as fast as possible.

Mavis's face remained straight and determined.

"What did you do to him?" Mirajane asked.

"I erased the last 10 minutes of his memory," Mavis told her, "He couldn't handle it. Now all he knows is that his son is missing. This is why we don't allow humans to know about Angels. It's hard enough for them to accept Angelic presence. It's almost impossible for them to comprehend that a demon could have their loved one."

"To be fair, most of us werent expecting demons either," Erik quipped.

"After the meeting, the police will want to split up to look for Daisuke," Jellal said, "There's no way we can cover them all."

"We stay with the Dragneel house," Mavis confirmed, "With the other Angels out training, you're right...we can't cover them all."

"Then we wait?" Mira asked.

Mavis nodded. The Angels all took deep breaths, then _concealed_ themselves so they could go back to the living room.

* * *

The entire Magnolia Police Department, approximately 100 officers in total, settled on the Dragneel lawn, talking amongst each other nervously. Sting had summoned them all, regardless of whether they were on duty or in bed. They all knew something bad was happening…and every last one of them had showed up to help.

The doors to the Dragneel house were shut tight, keeping tiny ears from hearing the content of the meeting.

Gildarts leaned against the railing of the porch, watching the officers gather as Rogue talked to him in a low voice. He looked serious as he took in whatever Rogue was telling him. Bacchus, Cana's longtime boyfriend, stood off to the side of their conversation, trying to appear like he wasn't listening. Everyone knew Gildarts didn't really like Bacchus. He'd been vocal about that fact more than once. Whatever had happened must have been pretty serious to put the two of them in the same vicinity. Romeo nodded to Gildarts and Rogue, making his way to the back of the crowd.

His eyes settled on Natsu. Emotion welled through his body as he broke into a run, throwing his arms around Natsu's side in an uninvited embrace.

"Hey Buddy," Natsu said, muddled by the surprise greeting from Romeo.

"You're a fucking hero, man!" Romeo exclaimed, shaking a finger in Natsu's face, "I'm not kidding! A _fucking hero!"_

He slapped Natsu on the back approvingly, then proceeded to find himself a good seat on the lawn to listen to the meeting.

Natsu stared at Romeo, completely and totally confused.

 _What in the hell was that about?_

He sniffed the air, catching the slight remnants of the alcohol in Romeo's wake. He had been drinking at some point earlier in the evening.

A few of the nearby officers chuckled loudly.

"You sure he's not mad anymore?" one cackled, swirling a finger in loops around his ear, "After the shit-kicking Natsu gave him the other day?"

"Nah, man…that was pure love…nothing but love."

"Someone should tell Romeo he's not Natsu's type!" another piped up.

"Never know - Ol' Romeo might really give Lucy a run for her money!"

"Don't ever let _her_ hear you say that!"

Everyone who heard that cracked up laughing.

Natsu's face turned red, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. Sting and Rogue were making their way to the front of the assembled officers to deliver the dismal news.

The officers quieted immediately, noting the somber looks on their commanding officers' face. Rogue's eyes were red and swollen, his face contorted with a cross between worry and desolateness.

Sting paused for a moment, looking down at his feet before lifting his eyes to address the crowd.

"Tonight, Magnolia was attacked," Sting said solemnly.

The officers fell completely silent, every eye glued to their chief.

"We've known for some time that something big is going down regarding perpetrators…that aren't human," Sting continued, "But tonight, they made their attack personal. Natsu's house was attacked. Cana was attacked…and Daisuke was attacked."

Rogue turned his back to the crowd, trying to keep his fellow officers from seeing the anguish on his face. He lifted his hand to cover his mouth. The officers stared with wide eyes as Sting continued.

Romeo turned his gaze to Gildarts, watching the older man's face contort much like Rogue's. That's what he and Rogue had been talking about…Daisuke and Cana were missing. Bacchus was less calm, pacing the same 5 foot space over and over.

"They managed to take Daisuke and Cana...or at least we suspect Cana was taken too," Sting's voice choked slightly. He paused, fighting to regain control of his emotions, "But Natsu's household is all present and accounted for. The families that we feel have been targeted – the Dragneels, Cheneys, Eucliffes, and Redfoxes – have all been gathered here for the night for protective purposes."

The officers gasped, whispering amongst themselves. Rogue took a sharp breath, trying to control his every-growing torment.

"Why those families?" someone called out, "Should we be worried about the rest of Magnolia?"

Sting nodded, acknowledging the concern, "We don't know for sure…but we believe this whole occurrence stems from a bullying incident the Dragneel kids, Sora, and Daisuke have been experiencing this week."

"We need your help," Rogue stated, finally turning toward the crowd again. He was trying to keep the tears from streaming down his face…and failing miserably, "Please. A lot of you are off-duty…but…please...help me find my son."

The officers watched in dead silence as Rogue tried to keep himself from coming undone.

"You don't even have to ask," Droy called out after a moment, "You've both been there for us throughout the years...now it's our turn to be there for you."

Murmurs of agreement passed through the crowd.

Evergreen stood up from her place on the ground, "I've tracked the address of the kids you asked me to look into. I'll take a team of officers to search it."

Droy, Nab, Alzack, and Macao stood up as well, volunteering to be on her team.

"Do you know the location of the attacks on Cana and Daisuke?" Warren asked.

"We know Daisuke was taken from the path on his way home," Sting told him, his voice shaking as he gestured to the path behind them, "We found blood and his cell phone."

"What about Cana?" Tono asked.

Rogue shook his head. Nobody knew where Cana had been taken from.

"Then we'll start with her apartment," Enno said, walking off with Tono and a few other men. Bacchus, who had been relatively quiet during the briefly, followed them after a nod from Sting. Tonight, Bacchus would join in on the police investigation too.

A couple dozen police officers volunteered to patrol the streets of Magnolia, searching for odd or suspicious cars.

"The rest of you," Sting said quietly, "Can we ask you to stay outside here to keep the families safe until we know what's going on?"

The officers all nodded, ready to resume their posts around the Dragneel property.

Gildarts placed a hand on Rogue's shoulder, "I'm going with the tracking team."

"Thank you," Rogue said in a low voice, unable to express any more words without losing himself.

"Are you sure that's okay?" Sting whispered to Rogue, watching Bacchus and Gildarts exchange nods.

"They both love Cana," Rogue replied, "I think right now, they'll both look at the bigger picture and focus on bringing her home."

Officers patted him on the back as they dispersed to their given tasks, murmuring their promises that Daisuke and Cana would both be found if they had anything to say about it.

* * *

Gray was thrown onto the ice cold snow - about a foot of it. He stood quickly, shaking the snow off his bare back. He was beside a half-frozen lake, the rest of the terrain just miles and miles of _snow_ as far as the eye could see. There were no mountains, no trees... _nothing_ but ice, snow, and the oddly half-frozen lake. Ironically, he didn't feel the chill at all.

"Juvia?" he called, glancing around the seemingly empty area. He knew it was a little silly to call out for her here. She would train on a different plain. It was just unusual to be away from her.

He wondered briefly what her special ability would be. When she was a new Angel, it had taken her awhile to learn how to use basic abilities. Over the years, Juvia had become masterful - to the point where oftentimes new recruits to Crime Sorciere would train with her for a week or two before being deemed ready to join Crime Sorciere on a mission.

Mavis, but he loved her. It had taken them a long time to finally end up together. That was part of the reason Gray was the first to volunteer to learn Offensive Abilities...he not only wanted to protect their wards, but Juvia as well.

Sometimes he wondered what their lives would be like if he hadn't died when he did. He wondered if they would have married...maybe had a couple kids together. Gray would have taken the promotion he was offered for welding...Juvia would still have her restaurant. They would have had a good life together, he was sure.

He heard something behind him. He threw his thoughts away, whirling around behind him. Two figures stood there, cloaked in the darkness of the void.

"Welcome Gray," a female voice said, stepping into the moonlight so that he could see her. She lowered the hood of her cloak, revealing a beautiful middle-aged woman with short, black hair.

"You're my instructor?" Gray asked stupidly. He mentally face-palmed himself. _Who the hell else would she be?_

"I'm Ur," she said, "I've been brought down from the stars to teach you, yes."

Gray nodded awkwardly...should he be shaking her hand or something?

"Who's the dude behind you?" he asked, again kicking himself. Where did his tact go?

The man behind her lowered his hood too. Gray's mouth fell open, shock hitting him like a shovel to the face.

"What in the hell are _you_ doing here?" Gray demanded.

The man smiled, "It's good to see you too."

Gray was speechless. He had forgiven him long ago and moved on, but nothing could have prepared him to be face-to-face...with Lyon.

"Yeah...So I died," Lyon smirked, noting the expression on Gray's face, "Nothing dramatic...I got sick. It was cancer. I moved to Crocus for treatment...died about 4 or 5 years after Juvia passed."

Gray was still stupefied and completely unclear of how to react.

"You will train together," Ur cut in, "Since you're brothers and you both have the same ability."

Gray shook his head, "I can't train with him. Find someone else to train with him."

"Your friends will be attacked again," Ur told him, "I assumed that you would want to get this done as soon as possible so that you can return to them."

Gray nodded slowly.

"Good," Ur smiled gently as she began unclasping her cloak, "Now both of you...the first thing we're going to do requires you to strip. Right down to your gonchies please."

Both Gray and Lyon gawked at her for a moment, then did as they were told.

* * *

The door closed behind him with a slam, disappearing the next moment. Gajeel glanced around, noting he was in a mountainous valley. There were no trees. Just rock...lots and lots of rock.

"Defend yourself!" a voice bellowed.

Gajeel looked up, watching a landslide of boulders coming straight toward him. Jumping back, he wondered how the hell he was supposed to defend himself against a rock slide! He dove into a small cavern beside him, covering his head as the slide came to a stop outside the entrance.

"Tsk tsk tsk," the voice mocked him, "If that were an enemy attack, you'd be dead right now!"

Gajeel jumped to his feet, exiting the cave to try to identify the voice.

A man stepped from behind a large boulder. Gajeel's eyes widened in surprise. His hair was silver, long in the front so that it covered his patched eye. He had metal piercings similar to Gajeel along each eyebrow and down his ears.

"My name is Metalicana," he told Gajeel, "And the next time I tell you to defend yourself, you better damned well do it because I won't hold back. We have 24 hours to train you well enough to go up against demons. I suggest we get started.

Gajeel opened his mouth, still staring at the piercings. He'd never seen anyone with piercings remotely close to his before.

"We're not related, you stupid brat," Metalicana snapped, "I adopted an appearance that you would understand and used you as my model."

"What's your normal appearance like then?" Gajeel asked.

Metalicana laughed, "When you can defend yourself against the most basic of maneuvers I can throw at you in this form, you'll find out."

Gajeel assumed a fighting stance, "Then let's get at it, old man."

Metalicana grinned at him, reaching his hand into the air and closing his fist.

"Defend yourself."

* * *

As the door closed behind her, Juvia was suddenly aware that she was deep inside a body of water. She panicked, attempting to swim upward. But it didn't take her long to realize, she had no idea which way was up. She flailed in the water, trying desperately to identify some light. If she could find the sun, she would find the surface.

"You can breathe underwater," a voice said.

Juvia turned, still holding her breath. All logic told her if she breathed in, she would get water in her lungs and die...well, she _couldn't_ die...but it would definitely be bad.

A beautiful mermaid swam in her path, holding a water can. Juvia marveled at her beauty. She had long blue hair, held back from her forehead with a golden headband, matching arm bracelets and a golden belt. Juvia wasn't sure if she'd ever seen anyone as beautiful.

"Breathe dammit! I already told you you don't have to hold your damned breath!"

Juvia had forgotten she was holding her breath, panicking slightly as she realized she really needed some air. She panicked, begging for a shred of light _somewhere_ to tell her where the surface was.

"Oh for fuck's sakes!" the mermaid seething, swimming in an instant over to Juvia and slamming a heavy arm across her stomach.

Any air Juvia had left in her stomach was forced out. She sucked in instinctually, shocked when she didn't drown as the water filled her lungs.

"That _hurt!_ " Juvia told her angrily.

"Well, don't be so stubborn then!" the mermaid yelled back, "What in the hell is wrong with you? I _told_ you you'd be able to breathe it!"

Juvia saw a shadow cross above them...below them? It had to be 70 feet long and it was shaped like a shark, only very obviously _not an average shark._ Juvia cringed, turning in a circle to see that they were far from alone. There were many marine animals circling them.

"Ah...our training companions has arrived," the mermaid grinned.

"Shouldn't we be looking for a cave to hide in or something? I-I don't even know your name yet!" Juvia stuttered, "Maybe that would be nice to know before we die."

Juvia felt her heart sink to her feet as the mermaid burst out laughing at the suggestion, the marine animals circling closer and closer.

* * *

Erza stepped out of the door, her surroundings blurred with the brightness of light before it finally died down. As her vision began to focus, Erza realized she was in a very familiar place...a place she'd called 'home' for as long as she could remember...Fairy Tail Heaven Division.

"It's an illusion," Makarov told her, bringing her in for a hug, "You are in the Nether Plains, but this is the setting most suitable for the first part of your training. The truth is, you already have exemplary combat skills. What you need to excel against our new enemy...is an edge."

"An edge?" she asked.

Makarov nodded, "We're going to have you train with Mirajane, since she needs to reacquaint herself with her own abilities. She will be arriving shortly and I will take her place on Earthland. She's going to help you understand your unique ability."

He nodded, disappearing in a golden haze. In his place, Mirajane Strauss was grinning ear-to-ear. She wasted no time, grabbing Erza's hand and whisking her into the room that Erza had called her bedroom for a long time.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Mirajane exclaimed.

Her room was just as she remembered, although she knew she had given the one in Heaven up years ago when she stayed behind on her Earthland as part of Crime Sorciere, and then to watch over the Dragneels. A double bed was neatly made on one side of the room, an armoire across from it. The vanity was still in its' place as well. Erza felt a small pang of remorse that it wasn't real. She had really loved her room at Fairy Tail.

Mira lugged Erza across the room, only letting go of her hand as she swung the armoire open, squealing gleefully as they both realized the hidden depths of the closet space. It was like an endless void, and yet Erza could tell there were hundreds of outfits inside.

"Oh! Let's try _this_ one first!" Mira exclaimed, tossing something back at Erza.

Erza pulled the garment away where it landed on her head, fluffing it out so she could have a better look. It was like a ball gown. It was strapless and bright red with beautiful jewels adorning the bodice.

"Um...Mira..." Erza stuttered.

"Oh and this one!" Mira squealed, tossing another dress at Erza.

It was a royal blue colour, more of a cocktail dress than a ball gown and there were a lot more frills to it.

"Mira!" Erza protested again.

"MATCHING SHOES!" Mira cried out.

A spiked stiletto almost hit Erza's face. She dropped the dresses in favour of preventing the heel from splitting her skull open.

"MIRA!" Erza yelled.

Mira's face was buried in the wardrobe. As she turned, Erza sighed as a bra fell on top of her head. Mira was having so much fun. It seemed almost cruel to point out that they were on a time limit.

"Okay, fine," Mira pouted, shutting the wardrobe, "We'll play dress up later. However, the wardrobe _is_ a part of your ability."

"I don't understand," Erza said slowly.

Mira's face lit up again, "Let's go have a piece of strawberry cake...and I'll tell you all about your ability. It's called _requip._ "

Erza visibly salivated at the mention of strawberry cake. The scenery changed suddenly, the halls of Fairy Tail fading away, only to be replaced by the streets of Magnolia. She followed her friend to the cafe she always went to get her fix of strawberry shortcake. She'd already forgotten they were in the Nether Plains.

* * *

Levy found herself in the library of her dreams. Just the titles she could see were enough to make her salivate. They were old...ancient books really. Levy found herself wondering if any human eye - or Angel eye - had ever seen these titles before. She pulled a book from the shelf, thumbing through it. It was a guideline to deciphering hieroglyphics in Egypt. There were symbols just in the first ten pages that she'd never seen before. A complete reference key was contained within the chapter, explaining in detail what each symbol stood for. Levy's mouth dropped...humans had _definitely_ never seen this book before.

"I will see if Heaven would agree to let you come back and explore this library another time," a voice said behind her, "But today...we have work to do."

Levy slowly put the book back into place, then turned to face her instructor. He had long blonde hair, reaching to his mid-back and red felt fedora donning his head. He bowed to her in greeting, making Levy step back slightly with embarrassment.

"Mr. Rufus Lore?!" she exclaimed, "Am I right? You're the man who came to the library that day and let me..."

"...decipher a script for me," Rufus nodded, "You have a good memory, Miss Levy."

"Did you die?" she asked bluntly.

He shook his head, laughing at her apparent nervousness, "No, Miss Levy. I was an Angel when we met the first time too."

She furrowed her brows, "I don't understand..."

"Heaven sent me as a helper," Rufus explained, "I was investigating Freed Justine...it was my task to try to get him to change his ways before he passes on."

"So is Freed is dead?" Levy exclaimed. After Levy walked away from him for the last time, she'd heard that he'd left the library, but hadn't heard anything about him since.

"No," Rufus sighed, "He took over the library in Onibus. Nobody will work for him there either. He's a cold, bitter man."

Levy let out a slight chuckle.

"Wasn't Gajeel investigating Freed too?" Levy asked.

"Different divisions," Rufus told her, smiling sweetly, "Gajeel was looking at him for criminal activities. I was investigating him because he's an asshole."

Levy's eyes met his, exchanging an amused smile.

"So my dear...will you allow me to help you memorize your ability?" Rufus asked, taking her hand and kissing it lightly.

Levy bowed to him, "Please sir..."

He straightened himself up, "Then let's delve into it, Miss Levy...the power of the written word."

* * *

Happy and Carla stepped out of the door together, Carla not even resisting when Happy reached for her paw. They were in a beautiful garden. Everywhere they looked, there were flowers of every variety. But they looked _drawn_. Neither Happy nor Carla could fully comprehend it. It looked like a scene from one of Brielle's shows.

"It's cartoony," Happy commented, noting the odd characters walking around.

Carla grunted her agreement.

"Frosch thinks so too," a little voice commented from beside them.

Happy's eyebrows furrowing as he took in the strange appearance of the new arrival. He was green in colour...an Exceed, so Happy was pretty sure he was supposed to be a cat...but he was wearing a froggy onesie. Pink, no less.

"You see? There are mutant frogs!," Happy said to Carla with wide eyes, turning back to the stranger, "You must be our instructor."

"Fro thinks so too!" the stranger agreed, nodding curtly.

Carla groaned, "I'm pretty sure you are gravely mistaken. Frosch can barely find his way across the street. He certainly could not _instruct us_ on how to cross the street, let alone on how to help our Angel counterparts."

Happy's eyes widened. That was a less than friendly response, but Carla had met these Exceeds before while Happy was on Earthland serving as the Dragneel pet.

"You're not the instructor, Frosch," another Exceed told him, patting him lightly on the back. This Exceed was a reddish colour. He wore a blue vest. He turned to the newcomers, "That's my buddy, Frosch...and I'm Lector."

"You're not the instructor either, are you?" Happy asked.

Lector shook his head, "Nope. So who are you then?"

"I'm Happy," Happy said, moving closer to Carla as he watched Lector eye her, "And this is Strawberry Floofy."

"I AM NOT STRAWBERRY FLOOFY!" Carla insisted angrily, taking a step away from Happy, "My name is Carla."

Lector grinned, "I dunno...Strawberry Floofy has a nice ring to it."

"Fro thinks so too!" the little pink frog exclaimed.

Happy giggled, covering his mouth with his paws as Carla turned slightly red.

They all froze, perking their ears, as a low growl interrupted their thoughts.

"Lily!" Lector exclaimed, throwing himself at the chest of a large panther. Frosch hugged the large cat too.

"Should we be running?" Happy whispered to Carla.

Carla's eyes were wide as her eyes met with Pantherlily's. He shifted, coming back to his much shorter and less intimidating Exceed form, then closed the space between them, reaching for her. Carla dropped Happy's paw, reaching out to meet Pantherlily.

"It's been far too long, Carla," Pantherlily said, squeezing her paw.

Carla stared into Pantherlily's dark eyes, a myriad of emotions crossing her face. Happy started to panic, not really understanding the looks they gave each other. He grabbed Carla's other paw and pulled her closer to him.

Pantherlily let his paw drop.

"Hey!" Happy hissed, "Get your paws off my Floofy!"

He completely missed the furious look Carla shot at him.

"We have a lot of work to do," the panther told them, shrugging and turning away, "So we need to get started immediately."

"He's scary," Happy whispered to Carla, "And he's way too touchy-feely."

Carla sighed in a half-daze, watching Pantherlily turn down the path as he returned to his Panther form.

Frosch and Lector were clearly not afraid of him as he strolled past them, beckoning them to follow. Carla followed, her head high in the air as she stared straight at Pantherlily's back. Happy felt a burning in his stomach. What was _wrong_ with her? Pantherlily was huge and intimidating! Why was she looking at him like that?

* * *

Wendy realized she was on a street almost immediately as she glanced around her surroundings.

"Come, child...sit with me," a lady's voice called out.

Wendy turned, noting a tall, elegant woman with long pink hair sitting at a table for two. Tea cups were set out and the lady poured the tea as she gestured for Wendy to join her.

"Dr. Porlyusica?" Wendy asked as she sat down.

They were on a quiet street, shadowed figures venturing up and down the walkways. A brook flowed peacefully in a cement channel beside them.

"No, my dear," the woman smiled kindly, "I am Grandeeney."

Wendy's eyes widened, "Grandmother?"

The woman patted her hand, "Ironic, isn't it? You were pledged to look after me while I was seemingly alive...and now I will look after you to help you learn your ability."

"You were 'seemingly' alive?" Wendy repeated.

"You and Gajeel...you were both so young," Grandeeney said softly, "There wasn't a family to adopt you, so I became your grandmother. Angels were aware that Gajeel would go awol...and that would leave you alone in the world. So they assigned me to you to keep you going on the right path. Nobody expected you to die so young, Wendy."

"The fall," Wendy whispered, remembering how she'd been playing with some neighbourhood kids. They were walking the ridge of a roof, daring each other to make the complete walk. The others had managed, but Wendy had fallen, "They sent me back to look after you so _you_ wouldn't be alone! I didn't know you were already an Angel!"

"You were so young," Grandeeney told her gently, "And the only other option was to send you to the Heavenly Orphanage. I couldn't bear the thought..."

Wendy nodded, rounding the table to give her grandmother a hug, "I've missed you."

"And I you, child," Grandeeney hugged her, then sent her back to her side of the table.

"Gajeel...he ended up in a foster home with Juvia," Wendy told her, "And then he ended up in a gang and got killed."

Grandeeney nodded, "But look at all he is now. A _father_ of all things _!_ Look at all _you_ are now. I'm very proud."

"How come I haven't seen you in Heaven before?" Wendy asked.

"I came down from the stars to train you," Grandeeney told her, "My soul got tired, so my Earthland body died and I was taken to the stars. It was alright for me to go. You'd found your purpose in Crime Sorciere."

Wendy nodded, "You could have told me."

"I would have held you back," Grandeeney told her, "You wouldn't have moved on. You would have stayed beside me. You have a lot to offer Heaven and Earthland. While it was true my soul was tired, you'd only just begun your journey. I had to let you go."

Wendy frowned, not completely sure she understood.

"What does it mean?" Wendy asked, "For an Angel to be called to the stars?"

"The stars are an Angel's final place of rest," Grandeeney said softly, "Existences don't truly end. Well, most of the time anyway. When a soul is born onto Earthland, the young soul begins as a human. They grown, they mature, and they become individuals. When they die, they become Angels. But Angel souls get tired too. And when an Angel has served Heaven to the point where their souls have tired, they are honoured with taking their place in the sky."

She pointed upward. Suddenly, Wendy was aware of the darkness. But she marveled as she saw the stars that Grandeeney pointed to. There were so many...and they shone so brightly.

"Every one of them is a tired soul," Grandeeney told her, "Their souls are at rest. Their existences have not ended..they are simply resting. If a soul is recharged, sometimes they can be reborn again as a human baby. The life cycle will reset. They won't remember ever being a human, an Angel _or_ having their soul rest as stars in the sky. There are only five souls that have done this in the past. Other souls remain resting forevermore. It depends on how many times they've been reborn."

Wendy's eyes widened, "Only five...you mean..."

Grandeeney nodded.

"Do I know any of the other reborn souls?" Wendy asked out of curiosity.

"You do," Grandeeney confirmed, "But it's not my place to tell you."

"I'm nervous about learning Offensive Abilities," Wendy admitted, looking down at her hands, "I don't even know what ability I have that's unique to me. I'm not special...I'm just... _me."_

 _"_ I would argue with that, child," Grandeeney told her, squeezing her hand across the table, "As one of the five, you have _very_ special abilities."

Wendy leaned forward, listening intently with her eyes wide, "Me?"

"You," Grandeeney told her softly, "are a Sky Angel."

"A Sky Angel?" Wendy repeated, "Aren't we _all_ Angels in the sky? What does that mean?"

Grandeeney sighed, "It seems I've said too much. You don't need to know this information now."

"Well, what do you mean 'one of five' with special abilities?" Wendy asked, "What's different about our abilities?"

"That's not important today," Grandeeney told her.

Wendy's questioning face weakened Grandeeney slightly, making her smile at the young girl, "Please...something tells me it's important."

"What's important today is that you have a special ability as a Sky Angel. Have you ever tried to exert your ability?"

Wendy nodded, "In the forest just yesterday. I tried to protect a boy - a friend of my ward - from a demon attack."

She frowned, her eyes lowering to the table.

"I failed," she murmured, "They took Daisuke anyway."

"But you tapped into your true power?" Grandeeney prodded.

Wendy nodded slowly, "I opened my mouth and this _energy pulse_ came out from it. It was powerful, but I had no idea how I did it. I also whipped up a tornado. I wasn't thinking about it...it just _happened._ I couldn't sustain it and they took Daisuke because I wasn't strong enough."

Wendy looked up at her grandmother. Grandeeney's face beamed with pride, but Wendy felt like she wanted to cry. She had no idea why that would please Grandeeney so much.

"I think," Grandeeney said, reaching across the table to squeeze Wendy's hand again, "that you're a lot stronger than you think you are. We're going to tap into that power again, Wendy. And this time, I'll help you learn to sustain it."

* * *

The adults had ushered everyone at the Dragneel household into their makeshift beds. Lark stared at the ceiling, knowing nobody else was sleeping either. He heard Connor let out a snore beside him. Well, perhaps some of the littlest children would sleep.

The police had spread out across Magnolia again. Rogue, Sting and Natsu were all out looking for Daisuke and Cana. This time, they wouldn't let Lark go with them.

He could hear Laki crying in the corner opposite his. Lucy had made her bed beside Laki's in the kitchen for privacy. He could hear Lucy whispering gently to her. He knew the Angels were watching over them, but no amount of comfort they pushed would help Laki...not tonight.

He shifted uncomfortably, missing the excess pillows he normally had to sleep with to help him prop his busted arm comfortably. He tried propping the pillow he had against the wall and leaning back in a semi-sitting position, sighing as he knew that wouldn't be comfortable either.

On the other side of Aki, Sora crawled to his side, offering her his pillow for behind his head, the other behind his lower back.

"But what about you?" he asked, whispering so as to not disturb the other kids around them.

"I'll be fine," she whispered back.

He smiled at her in the darkness, opening his good arm for her. She paused, glancing around the room. It seemed most people had fallen asleep strictly out of exhaustion. Hesitantly, she crawled in beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She shook her head, "Are any of us?"

He didn't answer, knowing there was a lot of truth to those words. Everyone was beside themselves with worry - the largest worry being the location of Daisuke and Cana. He offered another prayer to the Heavens for their safety as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I'm scared too," he told her.

She was quiet for a moment. Lark realized by the change in the feel of her breathing pattern that she was fighting tears.

"Do you really blame us for Daisuke's kidnapping because we kept the bullying from you?" she asked softly, "We didn't do it to hurt you...and none of us thought Toby and Yuka would do something extreme like kidnap Daisuke."

"No," Lark sighed, "I don't blame you. I was angry."

"You're not anymore?"

Lark paused, "I'm furious. But not at you or Aki or the twins."

"Don't do anything stupid if you see Toby and Yuka before the cops get them," Sora begged, "Please Lark."

Lark stayed quiet since he couldn't make that promise. He was seething inside. More than that, it was constantly at the back of the back of his head that demons did not attack humans for fun...they wanted something. He knew if they didn't get what they wanted this time, then they would be back.

He thought about the mysterious blonde Angel that stopped the first attack. She _knew_ him. She looked like she wanted to take him into her arms and never let go...she looked at him with so much _love_.

Sora was clinging to his side. He pulled her in closer, laying his chin on top of her forehead. She tightened her fingers into his shirt.

"It'll be okay," he told her softly, "We...aren't in this alone."

Sora nodded, understanding his hidden innuendo.

"Lark?" she asked, yawning slightly.

They were both comfortable now. It was a position very similar to how they'd been in under the tree. That night seemed so long ago now. He nuzzled her head, urging her to go ahead with whatever it was she was going to say.

"If I run into Toby and Yuka, I can't guarantee their safety either."

He snickered, seeing his sassy Sora for the first time in over a week.

"There's my girl," he whispered with a grin.

He was answered with a slight snore. Lark closed his eyes and prayed for sleep too...preferably with no nightmares.

* * *

Cana's heart was pounding as she desperately searched the pitch-black room for any signs of light. It was fruitless. Until the dawn emerged, she would not be able to decipher anything except empty black darkness. She stroked Daisuke's hair gently, pulling his still-unconscious form onto her lap.

"They'll know we're gone by now," she told him, grinding her teeth to help dissipate her rage, "They'll be coming for us...but until they find us, it's up to you and me to raise a little hell."


	21. Chapter 21

The first rays of dawn spilled over the mountains, splitting through the darkness into the anything-but-silent City of Magnolia. Police cars still roamed the streets, looking for clues and anything suspicious. The Dragneel household was relatively quiet, considering that no one had slept well during the night. Natsu and Romeo had joined the team Gildarts and Bacchus were on…trying to retrace Cana Alberona's footsteps. Rogue and Sting lead a team to the address that Evergreen had tracked down – the house that Toby and Yuka allegedly lived in.

Another police team were tasked with the prisoner that Jellal had handed to Sting and Rogue, with the explanation that he'd been found unconscious at the site of Daisuke's attack, and had taken him down to the station. The man was drooling slightly and rather dazed…and he was horribly…flatulent. Nonetheless, the officers were instructed to get him something to eat and drink, then question him for any information he might know about the events of the night before. They hadn't gotten that far.

They lasted 20 minutes with Sting's prisoner. Yukino received the call just as she'd finally closed her eyes and was drifting off to sleep - not an easy feat considering everything that was going on. Her heart was breaking for Laki, who was sobbing even though she finally appeared to be asleep. Even the woman's dreams were not giving her rest from her grief. When the cell phone rang, she begrudgingly answered it in the hopes that it was news. It wasn't. Nobody had heard anything from the police that scoured the city.

She was being called down to the station since she was the best interrogator on the force. The prisoner was being stubborn and the officers needed her help. The officers figured Yukino was the _only_ one that could break the jerk at this rate. Fluffing her ego didn't make it any easier to leave the Dragneel house, even though Lucy promised to watch over Ren and Saichi. She was just as worried about Daisuke and Cana as everyone else was. She wanted to be with the families when news came.

She strutted in the door, the front desk lady already handing a much-needed coffee out to her. She grabbed it and muttered her thanks as she made her way to the Observation Room that overlooked the Interrogation Room holding their prisoner.

"What's going on?" she asked as she barged into the Observation Room. She put her coffee down, planting both hands on the table and stared into the Interrogation Room.

"He won't talk," the female cop beside her, Karena said, "Phil's been at it for an hour. A few minutes after he came in, whatever daze the prisoner was in dissipated. He's cognitive again. And he's just mocking the officers. Phil's the third one who's tried to get information from him."

The prisoner was a lanky man with large eyebrows and a huge nose. She could see that he was in no hurry and felt no intimidation whatsoever. The poor officer in the room with him, Phil, was a rookie, only having been on the Magnolia Police Force for about 6 months.

"C'mon, man…" Phil begged, the desperation showing on his face. He looked emotionally drained.

Yukino raised an eyebrow, feeling a tad sorry for the rookie cop.

"Just tell me what you were doing on the path," Phil suggested.

"I was watching birds," the prisoner burst out laughing, "and frolicking with nearby deer! Do you like to frolic? Because you look like you could use some time outdoors to frolic. I can call my bird friends, if you want."

Phil looked like he was about to cry. Yukino shook her head, wondering why a rookie was sent in there in the first place. Glancing around the police station, she realized they were _all_ rookies. All the higher-ranking officers were out conducting investigations on their missing persons and this was who was available to stay at the station in their absence. Yukino pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose with a heavy sigh.

"Do you really wanna get booked?" Phil asked, "Don't you wanna go home?"

The prisoner snickered, "What I _want_ is some food – wasn't I promised food? And bring me something to drink too!"

Yukino motioned to Karena, "Go get me a sandwich from the kitchen please. Doesn't have to be fancy. I just need it for leverage."

She nodded, disappearing down the hall. Yukino turned her attention back to the Interrogation Room."

"Can you at least tell me your name?" Phil was asking, his voice sounding remarkably like a whine.

"Those who hear my name quiver in fear," the man warned, "Once you hear it, you can't _unhear_ it."

Phil sat back slightly. Yukino sighed. The prisoner was _not_ supposed to intimidate the interrogator.

Karena appeared at the door, holding a ham sandwich with mayonnaise on a plate in one hand and a bottled water in the other.

"Thanks," Yukino said, grabbing her coffee. She realized she couldn't carry both, so the water bottle was left behind.

Stomping around the corner, she slammed open the door.

"Take a break, Phil," she said flatly, "I'll take over from here."

Phil gazed at her gratefully, then wasted no time scooting out the door Yukino held open. It slammed behind him, effectively locking Yukino in the room alone with the prisoner.

"I'm Officer Yukino Eucliffe," she told him, turning the chair around so that she could sit on it backwards, "And I hear you're being a total pain in the ass."

"I can do lots of things with my ass," the man told her, "And how painful it is depends on – "

"DO NOT finish that sentence!" Yukino half-yelled, sticking up a hand to silence him. She leaned forward, "Being a pig won't go far with me. I'll tell you how it is…you be straight up with me, I'll be straight up with you. Got it?"

"I wasn't lying. My ass really can do amazing things. And I'm not sure why I should tell you a damned thing," the man muttered.

Yukino cocked an eyebrow, "You really want to test me? You'll sing, asshole. You're going to tell me _everything._ "

He tossed her a half-smile, accepting her challenge with his eyes.

She slammed a sandwich down in front of the man, narrowing her eyes intimidatingly.

"Want this?"

She could see him drooling over the sight of the sandwich. His stomach growled, indicating it may have been a while since he's last eaten.

"What's your name?" she asked, "I don't feel like calling you 'asshole' all day."

He laughed, "Yukino, is it? You're a pretty small lady to be trying to be the bad cop."

"I'm not trying to be anything," Yukino replied, "I just want answers. Start with your name and I'll give you the sandwich."

He grinned at her, raising one of his eyebrows, "Okay…I'm going to play your game. Because I'm curious…and I'm really hungry. They call me 'Jiggle'."

"Jiggle…" Yukino repeated, "Yeah…that's not a name."

"It _is_ a name," Jiggle insisted, "A name that strikes fear in all who meet me."

She stifled a scoffing snort, taking a sip of her coffee instead.

"Okay…let's try this again…" Yukino said to the man, "Your name…and don't reply 'Jiggle' because that's not a name. The truth – if you feel like leaving the station this millennium."

Jiggle's defiance flashed in his eyes as he stared Yukino down, "I already told you. I have no name other than 'Jiggle'."

Yukino sighed heavily, "Then how about an address? We can't let you go until you provide information so we can track you down again if necessary."

"I have no address!" Jiggle denied.

"Do you want this sandwich or not?" Yukino demanded, threatening to throw the sandwich in the garbage.

"Fine!" Jiggle exploded. He went to rip the sandwich from her hand, but she jerked it away.

"Your name and address!" she insisted.

"It's Farley, okay?" Jiggle grabbed the sandwich, taking a big bite, "And I live in Onibus."

"Exact address," Yukino said, staring into his eyes.

Jiggle harrumphed, pouting.

"What were you doing on the path in a residential district if you live in Onibus?" Yukino demanded.

He made fluttering motions with his hands, "Catching butterflies."

Yukino shook her head, glancing to the one-way window on her left. She could practically hear the gathering officers on the other side shaking their heads. As an interrogator, Yukino was top-notch. It was rare that she couldn't break a person and get them to confess...or determine their innocence. But this man was infuriating. Her frustration showed on her face as she tried again.

"What's it going to take, Farley…How can I convince you to tell me what you were doing on the path? What happened there?"

"Put some cheese on this sandwich…" Jiggle replied, "…And maybe some broccoli."

Yukino rolled her eyes, "Nobody eats broccoli on their sandwich. I'm getting tired of your bullshit, Farley…"

"I want a car outside…and $30,000 cash in unmarked bills in a duffle bag in the front seat," Jiggle replied, "And no cop tails."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen," Yukino replied, "I have a better idea…you spill what you know about what happened on that path and I won't put you in the same jail cell as Sally."

Jiggle grinned, "Maybe I'd like a jail cell with Sally!"

Yukino snapped her fingers, a picture appearing on the overhead screen of a very large lady with pink pigtails in a maid outfit.

"That's Sally?" Jiggle asked, wiggling his bushy eyebrows. Yukino wondered how it was possible to maintain such control over his eyebrows, especially big, bushy ones like his…that couldn't be natural, "I'm not choosy. Hook us up!"

Yukino snapped her fingers a second time. A picture of Sally's face close up appeared…detailing her whiskers and unibrow.

"Now THAT'S a woman!" Jiggle exclaimed.

Yukino sighed, "What do you know, Farley?"

"Absolutely nothing," Jiggle said nonchalantly, grabbing Yukino's coffee and drinking it back in one gulp, "I was out for a walk. That's all. Didn't see nothin'."

She gawked at his rudeness.

Jiggle had devoured the entire sandwich, glancing up at her with a new glint in his eye.

"I'll get you another sandwich if you tell me what you really saw," Yukino offered.

"You fool!" Jiggle cackled, "That single sandwich was all I needed to recharge my powers! Now prepare to face my wrath!"

Jiggle began wiggling in his seat, his butt cheeks vibrating both the chair and the table.

"What are you doing? Stop that!" Yukino demanded, raising her hand to the one-way mirror when he persisted. Instantly, three cops barged into the room.

"Too late!" Jiggle squealed with glee, "You'll wish that you'd agreed to the car!"

The three other cops rounded the table, grabbing him by the arms to restrain him. Jiggle squeezed his butt cheeks, releasing a foul stench that had a visibly green colour to it. All three cops covered their noses instantly, coughing and gasping for air. Yukino's eyes widened in horror as they collapsed to the ground. The stench hit her and she ran for the door, pounding on it to be released. Her eyes were watering as she felt herself losing consciousness as well.

Thankfully, the door opened just as the room started to spin. Someone grabbed Yukino's arm, pulling her outside the door, then slamming it shut behind her.

"Get the hazmat team!" she heard someone yell, "There's still men inside!"

Yukino gasped for air, her vision slowly coming back into focus as the clean air filtered through her lungs.

"What is _wrong_ with that man?" she demanded, finally feeling enough strength coming back to her to stomp into the room that contained the other side of the one-way mirror. Jiggle sat placidly in the interrogation chair. The three unfortunate officers were completely passed out.

"I was called in to represent him," her rescuer said.

Yukino turned, recognizing Max Alors. He was a local lawyer, semi-retired. Sometimes he came in to help criminals make their plea. He'd been listening to the microphone the entire time.

"Are you really going to represent _this pig_?" Yukino asked, glancing back at the men on the floor. Jiggle had his feet on the table, whistling a happy tune to himself.

Max shook his head, "Not if I can help it…but you know you can't hold him, Yukino."

"He admitted to helping someone detain Daisuke," Yukino argued.

"He admitted to going for a walk on the path. Where's your witness that heard him admit he had anything to do with a crime? He didn't use names," Max argued, "and he didn't mention _who_ hired him."

Yukino frowned.

"Can you prove he was there?" Max asked.

"Sting said someone turned him over," Yukino stated, "He was found unconscious at the scene."

"And who is that someone?" Max queried.

Yukino went quiet again. Men in HazMat suits barged into the interrogation room. Two detained Jiggle by the arms against the wall while more grabbed the fallen police officers and dragged them to safety.

Two of the HazMat crew began spraying the air with industrial spray cans.

Jiggle jiggled his butt.

"WATCH OUT!" Yukino screamed, "He's going to blow again!"

"They can't hear you!" Max yelled, running for the door.

It was too late. The explosion, a combination of the spray the men were using and the gas that expelled from Jingle, rocked the room. Yukino could have sworn it actually shook the windows as she dove beneath the table in the interrogation observation room. The force of the explosion made Max stumble, falling onto his knees. He grabbed hold of a broom from the corner of the hallway, preparing to defend himself and Yukino if Jiggle tried to force his way out the door, but as the debris settled, it became apparent he hadn't gone anywhere.

Jiggle sat proudly in his chair, his eyebrows slightly singed. He took a deep breath through his nose and smiled wickedly. Yukino and Max slowly rose to their feet, Max still holding his broom protectively.

"There's more where that came from!" Jiggle yelled to the window before he started cackling again.

"Get him out of there! Put him in the most secure room we have!" Yukino demanded, "And stick a cork in him or something!"

More cops scattered to restrain Jiggle and take him from the room. The unfortunate men in HazMat suits coughed, writhing on the ground in shock as they saw parts of their suits eroding from exposure to…whatever kind of gas that was.

"Go take a shower!" Yukino ordered. The men scrambled. She could still hear Jiggle laughing like a maniac as he was lead away.

The interrogation room now empty, Yukino flopped herself into a chair, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Can we detain him for assault with a deadly biological weapon?" she asked Max.

Max shook his head slowly.

"How about attempting mass murder?" she queried.

Again, Max shook his head, "All he did was fart."

She sighed again, feeling completely depleted…and completely unsure of how she would document this in her paperwork.

Either way, Jiggle – Farley – would walk before lunchtime if they didn't get some viable proof that he was involved.

* * *

She watched him quietly, completely concealed from even Angels, as he cuddled with the blue-haired minx…Gajeel and Levy's daughter if Mavis wasn't mistaken. She'd known they were close friends through reports of fellow Angels, but Mavis didn't know there was a possibility it had evolved into more. She frowned, wondering how Gajeel would handle that possibility. People were starting to stir. If they didn't pull apart soon, someone would notice for sure.

His blonde hair lay gently around his eyes. Mavis marveled at how handsome he was. He looked a lot like her, but he had Zeref's dark eyes. She supposed if that's all he inherited from Zeref, that was more than enough.

She couldn't help herself. Incanting a spell quickly to ensure everyone would stay asleep just a _little_ longer, she sat down beside Larcade, reaching out hesitantly to touch his hair. She smiled as he let out a sigh of contentment, then ran her fingers lightly through his locks. She remembered when he was a baby how much he loved having her stroke his hair. His hair was so soft…just like it was then.

She glanced at his bandaged forehead, gently reaching out. She tugged gently, taking it off. She cringed, noting the cross-shaped scar that was only half-healed. She felt the strong urge to heal it for him…pausing again as Sora shifted.

She supposed Wendy hadn't healed it completely since it would suspicious to have such a complete recovery in so short a time. _But she wanted to._ Mavis fought the urge as she felt Larcade shift in her hands, placing his head so that she cradled it. He used to do that as a baby too.

She pushed off the tears threatening to come to her eyes, begging silently for his forgiveness that she'd had to give him up.

"My sweet boy," she whispered. Her other hand left its' place at her side and traveled up to his forehead, despite her earlier self-reservations. There was a soft glow, then she rebandaged his forehead as best as she could. Slight guilt twanged through her. She knew she had no right to intervene with his healing…she just couldn't help herself. She moved down to his arm, sending the same soft glow through it, then leaned forward, kissing his forehead.

"I'll be watching you," she whispered, "I'll find a time for us to be alone…and then I'll tell you everything."

Larcade stirred as Mavis faded into the background.

"Lark?" Sora asked, her eyes fluttering open, "Is everything okay?"

He nodded slowly, "Yeah. I just had the weirdest dream."

"I don't think I dreamt," she whispered, "I'm surprised I slept at all. I can't stop thinking about Daisuke and Cana."

Lark nodded, "I know. It's heavy on my mind too."

She sighed, "But if we're smart, I'll go back to my bed now. We can talk about it later. I'm sure it will be the _only_ topic of discussion today."

Sora pulled away from his warmth, heading back to where she should have slept throughout the night. Her face was flushed and Lark found himself wondering if he crossed a line again. He knew he shouldn't encourage her feelings for him. As much as he cared for her, Sora could only ever be a best friend. Something told him that deep down, she wasn't meant for him. He caught himself momentarily wondering why again as he watched her settle into her own blankets. If he was honest with himself, he liked Sora so much, he had no idea if he cared for her as more than a friend. She was _Sora_ …his best friend of a lot of years.

But then, why would her flirtations with Daisuke bother him?

It was unimportant. Sora was off limits, even if he couldn't explain why to himself. He closed his eyes, banishing all thoughts for the moment to say another silent prayer for Daisuke and Cana. He hoped the police had found something…anything…to point them in the right direction.

* * *

Natsu cringed as he approached Fairy Tail, unsure if he wanted to re-enter the walls that held Dan Straight again. A group had gone back to Cana and Bacchus's place, but found nothing suspicious at all in the apartment. Enno, Tono, and Warren were re-checking all the bars, which _should_ be empty at this time of the day. Natsu, Romeo, Gildarts, and Bacchus needed to see if they could figure out why Cana had visited Fairy Tail and confirm Sting's suspicion that she was looking for something specific.

Bacchus lead the way, knowing exactly where Cana's office was, much to Gildarts' obvious displeasure. Natsu followed behind, taking deep breaths to calm the rage that bubbled inside of him. He wasn't going to see Dan. He was going to Cana's office. Dan would not have another chance to rile him up. _Stop thinking about Dan._

"It was a long while ago," Loke was saying, "She came, said she was looking for her stash of sake, and was gone within 10 minutes. But something odd did happen…she refused a couple shots with us before she left."

The other men hummed. That was unusual.

"Anything odd happening with Jackass and Dumb Straight?" Romeo asked.

Mest shook his head, "Naw. They've been quiet for the most part…although they kept up their mealtime heckling. I'd say they were acting completely normally."

"We'll check the office. How much longer is your shift?" Gildarts queried.

"Mest and I have taken up residence upstairs," Loke said, "And of course, Aries goes where I go. Kinana is upstairs right now with her. I'm never far, but some new guards are apparently arriving in the morning. We're covered here. Don't worry about us."

"Okay," Natsu nodded to him, "We'll check the office, then get out of your hair."

Bacchus and Gildarts both headed into the door at the same time, and got stuck in the frame.

If he wasn't worried about losing his temper before, Natsu was pretty sure he would have to now. Bacchus and Gildarts were acting like children, swatting at each other as they tried to get into the office before the other. And Natsu failed to see how that was going to help anything.

"She's _my_ daughter and I used to be on the police force! You have no clue how to look for details on her computer, nor do you have the right!" Gildarts growled.

"Get out of the way, old man," Bacchus retorted, "She wouldn't want you digging through her things."

"Gildarts is right," Natsu spoke up, "These records are off limits to unauthorized personnel. Sorry Bacchus."

Bacchus grunted his disapproval, but backed out of the doorway to let Gildarts through. Gildarts shot him a triumphant look, heading straight for the computer.

"But Bacchus is right too," Natsu piped up, just as Gildarts was about to sit at the desk, "You aren't authorized to look at her computer either. You're retired."

"Not tonight I'm not," Gildarts growled, but moved aside as Natsu took the chair.

"She didn't even shut it down," Romeo commented, watching Natsu turn on the screen. Both of them frowned.

"What is it?" Bacchus asked.

"Toby Hortora and Yuka Suzuki's address," Romeo replied, "Did…Cana know about the bullying?"

Natsu shook his head, "Not that I know of. But she has been spending a lot of time with Lark. Maybe one of the kids mentioned it to her."

"But Lark didn't know," Bacchus pointed out, "Remember his little tantrum last night?"

Gildarts hummed to himself, "I'd say that's where she went though. Sting and Rogue are already there."

Bacchus was already heading out the door, "Then that's where we should be."

Natsu scribbled down the address.

Romeo and Natsu exchanged glances, following a determined Gildarts out the door.

"Hey Loke!" Natsu shouted on the way out. He'd never been so happy to leave a building…except maybe the time he and his kids were caught in the fire, "Shut Cana's computer down, wouldja?

They didn't wait for an answer, Natsu in particular more than ready to leave Fairy Tail behind.

* * *

"This is it," Evergreen said to Sting, turning the car and coming to a stop outside a run-down shack of a house. It was at the end of cul-de-sac, one house on either end of it. Both the other houses were decidedly run down as well, but they were palaces compared to the shack that matched the address Evergreen had tracked down.

"That's Cana's car," Rogue said from the back seat, pointing across the street.

The officers scrambled out of the cruiser, Droy's squad car parking behind them.

"By some miracle, her purse is still in here," Sting called back, checking the entire car over. He tried the door handles, "And it's still locked. Doesn't look like it's been tampered with."

"Macao, call a tow truck, would you?" Rogue called back, "Get them to take it to the station and have someone get her purse out. Bacchus or Gildarts can claim for claim itfor her later."

Macao scrambled off to make the phone call as Sting bent down beside the tires.

"She didn't arrive here in a hurry. She wasn't forced off the road," he commented, "Droy, tell Gildarts we found the car. He's our best tracker… and he should be here."

Droy nodded, walking a short distance away to make the call.

"Should we wait for them?" Rogue asked.

Sting hummed his indecisiveness. Nervousness began to spread through his body. He hoped they were about to find their missing friends. The back up might be needed.

"Gildarts's crew is already on the way," Droy called out, "They've gone through Cana's office. It looks like her visit there earlier in the evening was to find this address."

"Which means she knew about the bullying too," Sting said more to himself than anyone else, "Make sure they leave a couple of the men at Fairy Tail for extra protection for the employees…in case there's a connection."

Droy nodded, then turned his back to relay the message to the other crew.

"I don't want to wait," Rogue commented, "If Daisuke and Cana are there, I don't want to wait any longer than we have to."

Sting saw his friend's point, but the nagging feeling made chills go down his back, "I really think we should wait."

Rogue shot him an angry glare.

"My son is missing," he reminded Sting, "And every moment we waste…I don't want to think about what could be happening to him."

Sting and Rogue came to a stop behind Evergreen. Flashlights were no longer necessary since the sun was now coming up rather quickly. Droy, Nab, Alzack, and Macao halted behind them, exchanging glances. The property was a mess. Old furniture lined the rotting house amongst debris of Mavis-Only-Knew-What.

"This place needs to be condemned," Alzack muttered, "I can't believe this address belongs to anybody."

"Well, this is the address listed on the school records," Evergreen told them.

"There aren't any lights on," Macao commented.

"Of course not," Droy snapped, "It's barely dawn. If anyone is inside, they're sleeping."

Rogue let out a deep breath, "Well, let's take a look around. Spread out. Stay in teams."

Droy and Macao took off around one side the house with Alzack and Nab. Evergreen, Rogue and Sting started around the back.

It was eerie. There was a slight whistle, identified quickly as the window filtering through a broken window. A rat ran across a wood pile in front of them, startling both Sting and Rogue a bit. Evergreen shook her head, going on ahead.

"The back door isn't locked," Evergreen called back.

Both Sting and Rogue rushed to catch up to her.

"Knock on it," Sting told her, "Then get away from the door."

Evergreen knocked, stepping back beside her colleagues. The creaky branches of the tree overhanging the door scraped against the window.

Sting rapped on the door louder, then tried the broken doorbell.

"What do we do?" Evergreen asked.

"We make an announcement," Rogue replied impatiently, "If Daisuke and Cana are in there, I'm done with formalities."

Sting nodded in agreement.

Rogue stepped up to the door, opening the door and opened it slightly.

"This is the Magnolia Police Department! We're coming in!"

He flung the door open wide after that, one hand on his revolver as he stepped inside the decaying structure. Evergreen and Sting followed, all them freezing to listen for any movement. It was silent. Daybreak didn't provide enough light for them to see well inside the house.

"This is the Magnolia Police Department!" Sting yelled a little louder, "If anyone is in the house, please respond!"

Still no answer.

Rogue fumbled around the kitchen, turning on the light. They all groaned in disgust as they realized the inside of the house was worse than the outside. The floor was littered with garbage and empty bottles of beer. Some of them were broken. The stench hung in the air, giving the entire house a musty, stale smell.

"Spread out," Sting ordered, "but keep your radio ready. Alzack! We're inside the house. Stand by."

" _No problem, Chief,"_ Alzack replied.

"Someone's been here in the past few days," Rogue commented, observing some half-eaten bowls of ramen, "Those are not covered in mold like the others."

Evergreen screwed up her nose as she looked in the sink, "Same can't be said for the dishes in the sink…I am seriously resisting the urge to puke."

"You and me both," Rogue muttered, noting the fly larvae as he stupidly moved a garbage bag to look for pictures on a bookshelf in the living room.

"Two bedrolls in this bedroom," Sting called out.

Rogue and Evergreen met Sting in the bedroom, looking at the sleeping bags with multiple tears in them. The pillows were stained. There were no clothes that Sting could see, but then, the entire house was so dirty, they wouldn't be able to decipher clothing if they tried.

"Squatters?" Rogue asked.

"Maybe," Sting said, "Any way we look at it, there's no way this is Toby and Yuka's house. Kids who live on their own don't show up at school every day."

Evergreen hummed her agreement, going to check out the other bedroom. It was appallingly like a hoarder's house she'd seen on TV. Things were stacked everywhere, none of it neatly organized. Stains indicating water damage spotted the ceiling.

"I think the house is clear," Rogue said, coming out of the third bedroom. He closed the door behind him, "Something died in there…I think it was a rat."

The other two groaned their disgust.

"Look at this," Evergreen called from the hall.

Sting and Rogue joined her, both of them humming their confusion. She had the hall closet open. Inside there was a vacuum and a couple brooms.

"Seem out of place to you?" Sting asked, "It's the only half-decently clear area in the entire house."

"By the contents of the closet, I'd say that's why it's clean," Rogue lamented, "Nobody has ever touched this stuff."

" _Sting, this is Gildarts,"_ Gildarts's voice droned over the radio, _"We're outside. We found something in the front yard."_

"We'll be right out," Sting passed back through the transmitter. He turned to the other two, "I doubt there's anything here, but that doesn't mean we won't come back for a more thorough check later once we have a warrant to go through things."

Rogue groaned, "Or someone else can do it. It'll take hours to sift through all this shit. There's no names on papers and no pictures that we can see on the top layer."

"Let's go see what Gildarts found," Evergreen suggested, "Perhaps that will lead us somewhere more concrete."

They exited the house, finding Natsu, Romeo, Gildarts, Bacchus, Droy, Nab, Alzack, and Macao on the left side of the house. Alzack had gloves on and was picking something up off the ground. Droy had an evidence bag in hand, waiting for the item. Gildarts walked the area, his eyes glued to the ground.

"What'd you find?" Rogue called out.

"It's a jackknife," Macao told them.

"Anything else?" Evergreen asked.

"Yeah," Droy told them, holding up another evidence bag, "Sunglasses."

"Shit," Sting took a deep breath as he recognized the studded rims, "Those are Cana's."

He noted Gildarts's and Bacchus's somber expressions as they continued to search the area.

"We confirmed Cana was looking for Toby and Yuka's address," Gildarts stated, "She didn't even close the page on her computer."

"What do you think, Gildarts?" Rogue asked, watching the older man bend down to examine some footprints. There were spiked heels prints and running shoe prints.

"She fought back," Gildarts said with a straight face, "She tried to get away."

He gestured to the length of the flattened grass.

"Someone attacked her," Gildarts said, "Male, judging by the size and indentations of the other set of footprints. But I don't know what happened from there. All the footprints just…disappear."

Bacchus swore under his breath, kicking a nearby pile of rubble.

"So what do we do now?" Romeo asked.

Sting paused for a moment, "Rogue, take Evergreen and Alzack back to the Dragneel's. It's time to find out everything Aki and Sora know about the bullying."

"It looks like Lark was right," Rogue sighed, "Toby and Yuka are definitely involved."

"The question is, where are they now?" Evergreen asked.

"And more importantly," Bacchus added, "Where did they take Daisuke and Cana? The house is empty…of people anyway."

"Call in a forensics team," Sting told Droy, "Search every square inch of this property. There's got to be a clue somewhere."

Droy nodded, taking out his cell phone again to make some calls.

"If you're going to talk to Aki and Sora," Sting said, glancing at Rogue, "Then maybe Gildarts and I will go back to the trail where Daisuke was taken. We're missing something."

Rogue took a deep breath, then motioned to Alzack and Evergreen, all of them heading for the squad car.

Gildarts was trying to mask his own pain, running a hand through his dark red hair.

"We'll find them," Natsu said feebly. His own confidence was waning. Their only lead had turned up the location of Cana's abduction, but there was nothing else so far.

Rogue sighed, feeling completely helpless as Gildarts continued wading through the grass, looking for more clues. Closing his eyes, he prayed that the Angels were having more luck.

* * *

Cana's heart was pounding as she desperately searched the pitch-black room for any signs of light. It was fruitless. Until the dawn emerged, she would not be able to decipher anything except empty black darkness. She stroked Daisuke's hair gently, pulling his still-unconscious form onto her lap.

"They'll know we're gone by now," she told him, grinding her teeth to help dissipate her rage, "They'll be coming for us...but until they find us, it's up to you and me to raise a little hell."

He groaned, unable to move. Every muscle and bone in his body hurt. It was pitch black. He couldn't make out any flickers of light anywhere in the room. Slowly, he realized his head was on someone's lap. She cradled his head protectively, stroking his hair gently.

"Daisuke…" Cana heaved a sigh of relief.

"Cana?" he asked, after taking a moment to process the sound of her voice.

"Yeah," she replied, "I'm here."

"Where are we?" he groaned, trying to get up. His efforts were wasted.

"Don't move," she told him, "You're injured and we can't see how bad right now. You're better off staying still."

"My body is killing me," Daisuke acknowledged, "What about you? Are you hurt?"

"I took a punch to the head," Cana admitted, "But I'm okay. I'm more worried about you."

Daisuke took a slow breath, remembering bits and pieces.

 _He'd been followed when he left the Dragneel household. He was ambushed…_

"Where are we?" he asked again.

She sighed, adjusting her position slightly so that she could try to make Daisuke more comfortable.

"I think we're in a basement," she told him.

"What happened?"

She shook her head, regardless of the fact that Daisuke wouldn't be able to see her do so, "I was investigating your bullies. I found Toby and Yuka's address and checked out their house…fucking shit-show, that place…there was this man who caught me looking in the windows…he knocked me out. And now I'm here. They brought you in a few hours later."

"Toby and Yuka," Daisuke growled, attempting to get up again.

She stilled him with her hands, "Tell me what happened to you."

He groaned as pain wracked his body. Moving was a very bad idea…very bad, "I was walking home from the Dragneel's…and I knew someone was following me. Toby…and Yuka…and a bunch of men I didn't know…they ambushed me."

"Is the pain bad?" Cana asked.

"I'm not dying," he lamented, "But I hurt...a lot. Can we get out of this room?"

"No," she said, "I've been around all the edges. I can't see enough to tell where the entrance is."

"Do you have your cell phone?" he asked, remembering that his had been lost in the forest.

"No," she sighed, "Dickhead took it. Along with my bear spray, two jackknives, and my taser _._ "

Daisuke snickered.

"I'm kicking myself for leaving my purse in the car," Cana told him, "The majority of my arsenal is in it. But they didn't find the brass knuckles. They're still hidden between the girls."

Daisuke snorted this time as he realized what she was saying. He groaned as the movement made his side hurt. He threw a hand onto his side, noting it was damp...probably from his blood.

"We're not bound," Daisuke noticed, deciding not to alarm Cana. He could feel the wound in his side screaming its' pain.

"Which is why I suspect the room is pretty tight," Cana acknowledged, "It's pitch-black and we're not getting out easily."

Daisuke was quiet for a long moment, concentrating on controlling his pain level. It hurt to breathe.

"My parents will have noticed by now," he said softly.

Cana snorted, "I doubt Bacchus has. He'll think I'm with Gildarts...and Gildarts will think I've ditched him again."

Daisuke sighed heavily, "Someone will notice, Cana. Lark will notice for sure. You've been working so hard with him. He'll be wondering when you don't show up for your session."

"Yeah," Cana sighed, hoping that was true.

She grabbed his arms suddenly, beckoning him to be still.

"What is it?" he asked, his eyes widening.

"Footsteps," she replied.

Daisuke could hear them too. Despite the pain, he managed to sit up. Cana maneuvered on the dirt floor so that she was in front of him, listening intently to try to decipher which way the noise was coming from. She slipped the brass knuckles from between her breasts and onto her fingers.

"Did you hear what I said, Daisuke?" she asked, "You and I cannot make it easy for them. We need to fight with everything we have. Got it?"

Daisuke nodded, his eyes wide.

"When I tell you, Daisuke," she said in a low voice, "Go for the door. I know it's going to hurt…just _go._ And don't look back. I'll be right behind you. _"_

There was a hissing noise as a door released, opening to the left of them. Cana noted it was bright on the other side of the door. She wondered if they were in some kind of cellar.

"They're awake!" someone announced, throwing the door open.

A lightbulb went on above their heads, turned on from the outside, as Toby and Yuka entered. Daisuke's eyes widened as he recognized the purple-haired guy who followed them inside. Cana was busy looking around the room. It was definitely a cellar of some kind. The floor was made of dirt. There was a shelving unit on the left-hand side, but it had no items on it. Clearly, there were no ducts in or out of the room. Her blind assessment that the room was tight was correct.

The door hissed shut, sealing them all inside. The door was the only way in or out. Cana readjusted her body in front of Daisuke, who was leaned against the wall. Daisuke glanced down to his side, relieved to see it was not blood that soaked his shirt, but liquid of some sort. He cringed, glancing at the dirt floor he'd just been lying on. It was littered with disgusting...crap...and there was no telling what the liquid substance he'd been lying in consisted of.

"What do you want?" she growled. Her eyes were still adjusting to the light…but she knew daylight had come. There was no way the light from outside the door was from electricity.

"Just to talk," the purple-haired man said, crouching in front of Cana, "You're a pretty little kitten, aren't you?"

She spat in his face, "Back off."

Toby snickered, "That kitten has claws."

"There's no need for that," the purple-haired man told her, "We have no intention of hurting you."

Both Daisuke and Cana snorted.

"Bullshit," Cana snarled, "If you were on our side, Daisuke would be in a lot better condition."

"I do apologize about that," he told her, making direct eye contact for a harrowing 20 seconds, "You see, we just want information. Once we have it, you'll be returned to your families."

"What could you possibly need to know that would warrant kidnapping?" Daisuke demanded.

"We got off on the wrong foot," the man apologized to Daisuke, completely ignoring Cana, "My name is Hughes. And like Toby and Yuka told you when we first…'met'…we just wanted to talk. If you had come with us peacefully, violence wouldn't have been necessary."

"Bullshit!" Cana stated, "Kidnappers don't 'just want to talk'. What's your deal?"

He gave her a lopsided smile, "Clever girl. Okay. I can see being direct with you will be more effective. I want to know about Larcade Dragneel."

"What about him?" Cana growled, "He's a 16-year-old kid in high school. Not much to tell."

"He's no ordinary teenager and you know it," Hughes challenged her, "We need to know what you know about his powers."

"Powers!" Daisuke scoffed, "You must mean his ability to talk his way into a date with any girl he wants!"

"Or maybe his ability to get into trouble," Cana added.

"Oh wait!" Daisuke placed a hand on Cana's shoulder, "Could they mean Lark's ability to skateboard? He's got serious talent – "

"You know damned well what I'm talking about!" Hughes half-yelled, "Larcade has a special ability! Now _what do you know about it?"_

"What about you?" Daisuke asked, "I saw you guys in the forest…what you were doing wasn't ordinary either."

Hughes considered that comment for a moment, "Okay. I'll level with you. We need to know just how Larcade attained his abilities. We have reason to believe that he's the son of a man very precious to us. We need proof."

"Lark is a normal teenager," Cana told him flatly, "He has no special abilities."

"He doesn't see Angels, then?" Hughes asked, watching both their faces for a reaction. Daisuke flinched slightly, "Ah…you see? You _do_ know something."

"Whose son would he be?" Cana interjected, trying to take Hughes' focus off of Daisuke, "He's the son of Natsu and Lucy Dragneel…that's _all."_

Hughes shook his head, "Okay. Play it your way, then. I'm sure Sora Redfox or Aki Dragneel would be able to shed a little more light on the situation. Don't you think so, Daisuke?"

Daisuke tightened his fists, "Stay away from them."

"You know," Hughes said, still focusing on Daisuke, "I have special abilities too."

He waved his hands over his body, instantly transforming. Daisuke's mouth dropped open.

"Mary?" he asked, "How…?"

"I'm a demon!" Mary grinned, reaching out to run a finger down Daisuke's arm, "See? Toldja I have powers too. And it's so fortunate Sora and Aki and I have gotten to be such good friends! I think I'll go check on them tomorrow at the Dragneel house."

"Get away from him, you asshole!" Cana roared, throwing herself into Mary's body with flailing fists. She used the brass knuckles to crack at her jaw, but missed, "So help me, Mavis – _don't you touch them_!"

Toby and Yuka grabbed her arms, attempting to pull her off to the opposite corner so that Mary could recompose herself from the surprise attack.

Cana's eyes were practically smoking with fury as she stared them down. She stood protectively between Mary, the men and Daisuke, her fists ready for action.

"I don't normally hit children," she warned, "but I'm not above it today."

"You're spunky," Mary commented, "Perhaps you like the idea of my having a conversation with Aki and Sora?"

Both Toby and Yuka were wide eyed, their fear edging into their eyes. They were backed into opposite corners of the room, staring with wild eyes at Daisuke. It was obvious to Cana that they were not seasoned fighters. She wondered briefly what would make them agree to work for such horrible people… _demons_ , if what Mary said was true.

"You disgust me," Daisuke told both Toby and Yuka, "Agreeing to work with this greedy bitch."

"Getting back to the point," Mary interrupted, refocusing all eyes on her, "It would likely be more convenient if _you_ talked to us instead of Sora and Aki. Really now…they don't _have_ to get involved…but that's your choice."

Cana lunged again, attempting another hit to the jaw.

Mary stepped out of the way, then waved her hands over body again, going back to her Hughes form.

"ENOUGH!" Hughes yelled. His eyes started to glow purple, making Cana back up beside Daisuke, her eyes wide.

"You're really a demon?" Daisuke asked in awe.

"You don't want to know," Hughes warned, "I can take you both out in a single strike. Don't piss me off anymore."

"I don't give a shit _what_ you are," Cana shot back, "We don't know anything…let us go."

Hughes' expression softened, his face lit up in an amused grin, "You are _feisty_. I like that in a woman. Toby! Yuka! I'll leave you here for the day. Maybe being locked in here with the two of you will be enough to convince them to talk. I'm going to go to the Dragneel house. I think my 'best friends' could use a little girl talk to distract them from being worried about their missing friends _."_

"Don't leave us in here!" Yuka begged, "Toby can't handle confined spaces for long. He's fine now because he thought he was leaving…please don't leave us in here!"

All eyes turned to Toby, whose face was draining of colour.

"If you want to work with the big boys," Hughes said, knocking at the door, "You need to learn to deal with things like big boys. Find out what we need to know, and our arrangement can become permanent."

Both Toby and Yuka nodded slowly, eyes wide.

The door opened slightly. Hughes turned, ready to exit.

Cana nodded to Daisuke and they both charged, knocking Hughes to his knees. Cana's brass knuckles connected with Hughes' head, but she didn't stop to make a more direct hit.

"GO!" she yelled, tightening her grip on her brass knuckles as they broke through the door.

They pushed out the door, realizing they were in a cabin of some sort…and there were very large men outside the door as well.

"SHIT!" Daisuke yelled as he dodged a punch from a blonde-haired man, "Which way is out, Cana?"

Cana ducked under the arm of a white-haired man, slamming her elbow down on his back. But the man was huge. He didn't go down, instead whirling around and picking Cana up by the neck, his eyes glowing almost black.

Hughes took the opportunity to slip the brass knuckles off Cana's fingers.

"You won't be needing these," he told her.

Daisuke was throwing a punch at the blonde-haired Elvis wannabe.

"Byro!" Hughes yelled, holding out a pointed hand to him, "Do not hurt her."

Daisuke froze mid-punch, alarm spreading throughout his body as he saw Cana's body dangling from Byro's arm.

"Go back into the cell," Hughes told Daisuke, "Sugarboy…help him out a little."

Sugarboy nudged Daisuke's side, causing him to cry out, as he shoved Daisuke back into the cellar. Byro followed, still holding Cana by the neck. Her knuckles were white where she tried to hold his choke back. He threw her into the cellar beside Toby none-too-gently, Daisuke immediately falling to his knees beside her.

"Try that again," Hughes warned, "And I won't hold them back. Now…be good little prisoners and tell Yuka and Toby what we need to know. We'll talk to you in a few hours…after my little visit with Aki and Sora."

The door shut behind the men, sealing Toby, Yuka, Cana, and Daisuke inside. Immediately, Toby began to hyperventilate.

"Are you okay?" Daisuke asked Cana, shooting a glare and Toby. Yuka was beside him, rubbing circles into his back.

She was winded, handprints vividly noticeable on her neck.

"Well, _fuck_ ," she gasped between breaths. Her breathing was starting to normalize, but Daisuke could see she was furious – and that probably wasn't helping it any, " _That_ didn't go as planned!"

Panic coursed through Daisuke's veins, wishing with all his heart that he had a way to warn his closest friends and their families about the imminent danger.

Beside him, Cana's anger oozed from her eyes as she stared down Toby and Yuka. She planned to give Toby and Yuka information, all right. But they were going to give her information too.

* * *

 _ **A/N There will be a chapter next week for Angel of Oops 2, but we're going to take a 1 week hiatus in lieu of Nalu Week during the first week of July! I've accepted a challenged to write 21 one-shots! So far...I'm about halfway through the first one (but you'll love it...the title is Buck-A-Suck...that's all I'm giving you for now).**_

 _ **The poll on my profile page is still open! I'm getting some surprising answers about your favourite Oops 2 ships!**_

 _ **Thanks as always to my amazing editors, OtakuPrincess 28 and WordsAreMySpells 1331!**_

 _ **Both are going to be publishing one-shots as well, and if you haven't read WordsAreMySpell1331's story - 'Finding You in Candlelight', please give it a read! I'm addicted!**_

 _ **Oh yeah! Sneak peak! Next chapter, we focus on the training Angels...**_

 _Wendy's eyes widened as she watched Grandeeney transform. Her body enlarged to the size of a house, turning white with soft, groomed feathers. She was beautiful._

 _"Now, Sky Angel," Grandeeney said, laying a gentle wing on Wendy's shoulder, "Are you ready to learn your true power?"_

 _ **Until next week!**_

 _ **~Shana~**_


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N: It's still Sunday! Sorry guys - busy, busy week. A reminder that this is the last chapter before the 2 week hiatus so I can prepare for Nalu week. Unfortunately with a 2 kids and a full-time job, I don't think I'll make my goal of 21 one-shots if I don't hold something. :D It'll be worth it..promise.**_

* * *

Mavis glanced around at the other Angels in the room as they watched the occupants of the Dragneel house begin to stir.

"I think everyone will be safe for now," Laxus mentioned to Mavis as he passed by, "It's too light out. The demons should stay away."

"That's a bit of a myth," Mavis replied, falling into step beside him. They exited the living room to the patio, "It was still daylight last night when everyone was attacked."

Lucy had opened the door to allow the sunlight filter in after the police had refreshed their guard. They still roamed the perimeter of the Dragneel's property, looking for anything that was out of place. Mavis nodded in greeting to Erik, who also patrolled outdoors. If demons attempted to attack again, chances were an Angel would detect the threat first. Makarov watched over the wards in the living room, staying close particularly to Laki, whose anguish had not lessened any. The fact that the police hadn't checked in was their biggest worry at the moment. It meant that they hadn't made any progress at all during the long night.

"That being said, I doubt the demons will attempt another attack so soon," Mavis continued, "We can't afford to let our guard down. The Angels will need to sleep when they return, but can be ready to help guard everyone by tonight. In the meantime, I'd like to do some investigating of my own."

"We're already short on personnel," Laxus argued, "There's only 5 of us here and Minerva at Fairy Tail."

"Minerva has already been joined by Midnight, Michelle, and Racer," Mavis told him, "Erik will keep walking the perimeter and Makarov will be okay inside the house for a bit."

"You have somewhere specific to go?" Laxus asked.

Mavis nodded, "No one is to come with me though. I will go alone."

"You're not going alone," Jellal interjected, appearing beside them, "I'll go too…"

"You need to check in with our officers, please," Mavis told him, "They're going to be exhausted and need all the support we can give them."

She took Jellal's hand, passing her palm overtop of his. Jellal's eyes widened as he felt a substantial transfer of power.

"It's like an energy pill," she told him, "Just expel the energy by concentrating if you see they're struggling. It will help Natsu and the others stay alert. Pay special attention to Rogue. His heart is heavy and he will feel the fatigue more."

Jellal nodded, lightly running a finger over his glowing palm.

She started to glow as she prepared for transport, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Jellal and Laxus both stared at the particles, gently falling from where Mavis had been standing only a moment ago.

"I feel like we're spread too thin," Laxus said in a deep voice.

"Yeah," Jellal agreed, "Me too. Where do you think Mavis is going?"

"If I had to guess," Laxus stated, turning to go back to the house, "I'd say she's looking into a certain church. I'm going back inside. The old man will need help keeping everyone calm."

Jellal watched him disappear, knowing he needed to go find Natsu and the other officers.

That would be his guess too.

* * *

"I told you, Lyon – _two hands! TWO HANDS!"_ Ur yelled, dodging a sloppy ice bomb.

She didn't even know which one had fired it. They weren't aiming at her anymore. Training was not going as planned. The boys...had a lot of unfinished business between them. That much was evident based on the fact that neither of them were listening to her explain how to use their abilities effectively, instead opting to throw pathetic ice crystals at each other like immature children. She'd had them sitting in the icy lake for about 2 hours, helping them gain immunity to the frozen water while she explained their abilities and how to use them. At first, they'd sat quietly, listening to her describe how to channel their energy from Heaven to conjure the ice living within themselves. The next she knew, Lyon was chucking ice particles into Gray's hair. Gray got ticked and retaliated with a snowball to the face. It had snowballed from there...pardon the pun.

Lyon was eager to please Ur at first, declaring her the strongest Angel in the stars and vowing to surpass her skills. Gray just wanted to complete his training and return to Earthland. His anxiousness was visible. He was not only concerned for his human wards, but also for his beautiful Juvia...which is what started the next war.

The longer they sat together, they more they threw insults back and forth. It started with simple name calling, but somehow it had evolved and Ur was learning the deeper reason Heaven wanted them to train together: they had deep, unresolved issues and their souls would never reach the stars if they did not move passed it.

"Enough! We've been sparring for two hours and _you've learned nothing_!" Ur scolded, "Get serious, both of you. We don't have time for your petty squabbles!"

They ignored her again, Gray grabbing Lyon in a headlock. Lyon stomped on his toes, causing Gray to reel back.

"You're supposed to use two hands, you dipshit!" Gray mocked him, conjuring up an ice crystal to shoot at Lyon, "Using one hand is too unstable!"

Lyon laughed maniacally, firing off rapid icicle bullets, "But I can shoot more rapidly! Like it or not, my method is more effective! Kind of like how I handled Juvia!"

"But you couldn't keep her!" Gray yelled, "Ultimately, she realized which of us actually loves her. Stability and dedication compared to nothing more than a quick release!"

Lyon scoffed, "She came back to you because she died - that's all."

"She went back to me because she realized our feelings were real!" Gray shouted, "I _love_ her! And I will do _anything_ to protect her!"

"Really..." Lyon snarled, charging at Gray, "You sure as hell didn't protect her from dying, did you? Did you plan that, Gray? Did you let her die so that you could have her all to yourself?"

Gray let out a feral roar, meeting Lyon head on. They both fell to the ground, now engaged in an all-out fist fight. They'd forgotten about learning their ice-based offensive attacks altogether.

Ur stood back, unimpressed with the quality of their training. They were both in their boxer shorts, wrestling like idiots in the snow. Ur shook her head. These were the Angels that would save Magnolia? Of course, Mavis's ability would have helped with that quite a bit _if_ the boys bothered putting any effort into what they were doing. But it was obvious that they were more interested in trading insults than perfecting their moves.

"Pathetic!" Lyon yelled as he slammed his fist into Gray's head. Lyon avoided the kick Gray tried to launch into his stomach, "You always held back! You never could finish anything you started!"

"Oh, I should be holding back? Like you were when you knocked me into traffic?" Gray yelled.

Ur narrowed her eyes, her temper flaring as she reached her breaking point. She was not their mother or their referee and she was done letting them waste her time. Enough was enough.

She was so fast, neither of them saw her until she had them both by their ears. She shoved them both to the ground, slamming one knee into each back to pin them down on the icy tundra.

"I've had enough of your crap," she said in a calm, collected voice, "This is very simple. I don't care what's happened between you in the past. This is not about you. This is about all the people you care about on Earthland. You are my pupils and you are going to learn how to use your abilities if I have to cram it into your heads and give you both brain freeze!"

Both Gray and Lyon were shocked as she leaned her head down between them, whispering barely loud enough for them to hear.

"I'm going to send attacks at both of you now. You have 10 seconds to run. If you want to get out of this training session in one piece and gain the power to protect the people you love, I suggest you get over yourselves and find a way to work together."

Suddenly, she was off their backs, walking away.

"1."

Gray and Lyon raised their heads, glancing around the barren ice field.

"2," Ur counted a little louder, raising her hands.

Ice fortresses began to rise from the ice, forcing both Lyon and Gray to their feet if they didn't want to get hit by falling ice particles.

"3."

Both Gray and Lyon looked downward as a crack split the ground, separating them from their instructor. The ground started shaking, splitting the crevice wider.

"4 – what are you waiting for, you idiots?" Ur called, "You better run while I'm still counting! Once I stop, I'm coming for you!"

Both Gray and Lyon glanced around, realizing Ur had completely disappeared amongst the chaos of the moving ice around them. They could hear her voice, but she was completely out of sight.

"5."

The ice fortress stopped growing. Gray and Lyon exchanged glances, slowing entering it side-by-side.

"6."

Ur's voice was everywhere, yet nowhere in particular. Neither Gray nor Lyon could pinpoint it.

"7."

"She's not serious," Lyon told Gray, "She wouldn't attack her own students."

There was absolutely no noise now. There were no shadows…nothing they could use to pinpoint her location.

"8."

Lyon pointed to the left, then starting circling right. Gray glared at the silent order but nodded, moving in the opposite direction.

"9...last chance boys. I'm coming for you."

Gray glanced around, anxiousness permeating his blood, then broke out into a run to hide behind a nearby ice boulder. Lyon was frozen to his spot, eyes wide.

"10..." Ur announced, "You're both going down."

Gray and Lyon watched as ice slabs started falling from the ceiling. Gray dodged one coming straight for his head, then watched with horror as it stood up, molding itself into an abominable iceman of sorts. More giant slabs fell at rapid rates, each of them transforming...at least a hundred giant, icy beasts.

"They _will_ hurt you if given the chance!" Ur called, "Defend yourselves. Use the ice and take them out."

"How?" Lyon rolled out of the way of one of the iceman as it crashed both fists toward his head.

"Use your abilities!" Ur shouted, "The ones I taught you! Oh wait - neither of you were paying attention!"

"Well, you've got our attention now!" Gray bellowed, "So tell us what to do!"

"Focus!" Ur yelled back, "Close your eyes and use both hands to channel the energy from the Heavens and attack!"

"Are you kidding me?" Lyon demanded, as he dodged the left hook of an iceman, then swooped under the arm of another, "There's no way we can close our eyes!"

Gray kicked back an iceman, scrambling between the legs of another and ran to an empty corner. He closed his eyes and tried to focus. At first, he felt nothing. He could not hear the cackling ice as icemen closed in on him. All he could hear was Ur's voice.

 _Feel the energy flow through you._

 _Focus the energy into your hands. Use both hands, always two: Hold one out flat with your other fist on top and imagine what you want the ice to do._

"ICE MAKE: SLEDGE HAMMER!" Gray yelled.

His eyes opened when he realized the sledge hammer he'd called for had appeared in his waiting hands. Oddly, he didn't feel the chill of the ice as he gripped the frozen handle. It was like the hammer was part of him. Wasting no time, he swung, knocking his three approaching attackers to the ground. He drew the hammer over his head and smashed it down onto the closest ones. Shards of ice exploded and the beast disappeared.

"Holy fuck...what did I just do?" he murmured, "Ur? How did I know how to move like that?"

"You're waking up to your abilities!" she shouted back, "Better get good fast! When I come for you, I won't make it easy!"

Lyon was staring at him, awed. Not wanting to be bested, he didn't bother closing his eyes, extending one hand and shouting, "ICE MAKE: CANNON!"

He blew away the opponents in front of him, eyes glittering with raw adrenaline as he saw the effectiveness of the maneuver.

"Two hands, Dipshit!" Gray reminded him again.

Lyon flipped his middle finger in Gray's direction, then went to work taking out the remaining icemen...96 left, by his count.

"Experiment!" Ur's voice called out, "Don't rely on one weapon alone. Get creative. You can literally call and make anything you want!"

"Get out of my way, idiot!" Lyon growled as the next ice bomb he threw narrowly missed Gray's head.

"Don't aim at me!" Gray hissed back, retaliating with an ice cannon ball.

Ur rolled her eyes. If they had time to bicker, they weren't busy enough. She closed her eyes, then released her power.

In addition to the Icemen, the ground began to shake, causing an enormous split in the ground. Gray only took one look, realizing it was bottomless.

"Don't fall!" he yelled to Lyon, "It's a long way down!"

Lyon smashed a couple Icemen with mallets, hopping over the divide before it got much larger. Suddenly, the Icemen retreated. Gray and Lyon exchanged glances as a humongous pair of squinted eyes peered at them from inside the rift.

"What...the fuck is that?" Gray dead-panned.

The next minute, the new monster shot out of the hole. It was enormous - easily the size of the Dragneel house. It had huge, 4-foot-long fangs.

"This is Deliora," Ur's voice informed them, "Or at least a replica. He's a demon of Hell. Good luck, boys. Remember to work together."

Gray and Lyon exchanged glances, then both assumed their Ice-making stance, preparing their individual attacks.

Deliora roared, making the entire ground shake again as it ascended onto the opposite side of the divide. Gray and Lyon separated, Gray diving for cover under an ice shelf while Lyon braced himself beside a large bolder.

"ICE MAKE: CANNON!" Gray yelled, firing at Deliora.

On the opposite side, Lyon shot off a barrage of ice eagles, each screeching as they attacked Deliora from multiple points.

The cannon balls _and_ the arrows bounced off Deliora harmlessly, falling into the dark abyss.

"Okay," Gray stated, conjuring up a larger ice cannon, "Got any bright ideas, Airhead?"

Lyon sent an ice rocket into Deliora's head. Deliora jumped the divide and smacked him with an enclosed fist, knocking Lyon back 30 feet to the cavern wall. He slid down the wall, slumping at the bottom for a moment. Deliora closed in on him.

"Shit," Gray breathed, "Ur! I don't what to do! A little help please!"

"Work together!" Ur's voice said. She was decidedly closer than before.

Gray shook his head, "Work together. Got it. Great advice - thanks a lot!"

Deliora raised his fists again, striking at Lyon. Lyon had gathered his wits again, forming an ice barrier overtop of his head since he would never be able to run around Deliora on the narrow ice cliff. No shield was going to keep Deliora off Lyon for long. His defense shook and cracked, but it didn't dissipate.

Gray wasn't sure how many attacks that ice barrier would be able to withstand, however. Deliora had Lyon backed into a corner, poising to strike again.

Gray took stock of his surroundings. The ice cliff was on one side, an ice cave to Lyon's left. He couldn't get there without being within Deliora's reach. He looked to the ceiling of the fortress, noting the stalactites hanging overhead. He didn't think he could pull Deliora backward. The only effective method here was to _push_ the demon backward instead.

"Here goes nothing," Gray muttered to himself, "ICE MAKE: LASSO!"

He swung his arm out, roping one of the stalactites, then took a deep breath, jumping off the edge of the divide. As he swung, he climbed the ice rope, narrowing flying overtop of Deliora's head to the other side.

"ICE MAKE: ICE PICKS!" Gray yelled, letting go of the ice rope. He stabbed the sides of the ice cliff, allowing the picks to slide down the sides until he was on the ground beside Lyon.

Lyon's eyes were wide as Deliora's fists smashed at his weakening ice barrier again, new cracks appearing in the shield.

"I can't keep this up much longer!" he told Gray.

"Then let him through!" Gray suggested, "We've got push him back into the divide! Once he's fallen in, we seal it with him inside!"

Lyon got to his feet, standing beside his brother, both poised to make their move.

Deliora prepared to strike again. Both Gray and Lyon screamed out their power surges, Lyon removing the ice barrier as Deliora's fists rose, preparing to simultaneously to smash both of them.

"GO! WHILE HIS ARMS ARE UP" Gray yelled, "ICE MAKE: FREIGHT TRAIN!"

"ICE MAKE: WRECKING BALL!" Lyon echoed.

Two enormous balls of ice sledged Deliora on either side of his torso, forcing him backward. He stumbled, teetering on the edge of the divide.

"ICE MAKE: CANNON!" Gray and Lyon bellowed together, aiming at the roof. The force of their cannons caused a barrage of ice boulders to dislodge, barreling down on top of Deliora's head. The demon screamed, then fell backward, catching the edge of the cliff with one hand.

"Seal it!" Gray yelled, pouring his energy into creating an ice floor overtop of the divide. Lyon concentrated his efforts on top of Gray's. The fingers on the edge of the cliff were overrun with layers of ice until finally they stopped moving.

Gray collapsed against the cavern wall, breathing heavily, Lyon stumbling backward until he could slide down beside his brother.

They barely had time to fist-bump before Ur stepped over the newly-created ice seal, clapping her hands slowly.

"Not bad," she told them, "You've finally learned to work together."

"Does this mean that we're done?" Lyon asked.

She shook her head, "Hell no. I already told you...I would start sending attacks at both of you. Now that you've defeated my monsters...you'll face off with me."

Gray sighed heavily, wondering if Juvia was doing alright. He hoped her instructor was slightly...kinder.

* * *

"Just bite it," Metalicana instructed.

"It's a rock," Gajeel grumbled, "When you told me we were stopping for lunch, I _assumed_ you meant a sandwich or something."

"Being in the human world has made you soft," Metalicana chuckled, throwing another pebble into his mouth, "It's iron! And it's great - tastes like popcorn."

Gajeel raised an eyebrow, "You're not serious."

Metalicana gestured toward the bounty of rocks on the ground beside Gajeel, "Go on. You'll draw strength from the particles inside. You aren't limited to rocks. Anything with metallic content can be a source of nutrition and a boost of strength for you. But make sure it's pure metal. Anything contaminated will make you unbelievably sick."

Gajeel stared uncertainly at Metalicana, then glanced back down at the rocks.

"Well! I'm recharged!" Metalicana announced, wiping his hands together like he was getting rid of crumbs.

Suddenly, he disappeared again. Gajeel sighed, glancing around for any sign of the man. Metalicana was never in the same place for more than 13 seconds.

"Defend yourself!" Metalicana's voice boomed.

"I didn't eat!" Gajeel yelled back.

"I spread out a whole buffet for you! Not my problem if you're picky!"

Gajeel's eyes were alert as he turned in a guarded circle, watching for the imminent attack. He closed his eyes, channeling the energy that Metalicana had been forcing him to learn through trial and error.

He transformed his hands into scythes...waiting. That seemed to be a favoured tactic of Metalicana's. He liked trying to catch Gajeel off-guard.

His left eye was bleeding. Gajeel paused to wipe the blood with his wrist band, trying to keep his guard up as he did so. Metalicana hadn't been kidding. He'd subjected Gajeel to attack after attack, barely instructing him at all on _how_ to properly defend himself or attack back.

Gajeel had known for some time that he had the ability to control metal. At first, Metalicana's attacks had consisted of falling rock. Gajeel had effectively learned to deflect the attacks with shields and steel rockets that could blow the falling rock into smithereens. They'd then proceeded to one on one combat. The older man beat Gajeel into the ground repeatedly, constantly yelling for him to ' _watch my example! Use your senses!'_

He narrowed his eyes, concentrating on the dead silence. He felt the vibration before he heard it. Metalicana burst through the ground, right beneath of Gajeel, sending him reeling backward into a pile of rubble. As gravity pulled Metalicana back to the ground, he aimed his fists for Gajeel's head.

Gajeel quickly maneuvered his body so that his fist scythes were ready, whirling them rapidly to create fan blades. Metalicana's metal boots slammed into the blades, causing them to groan as Gajeel pushed into them with all his strength.

"You're only holding me back!" Metalicana warned, "What are you going to do to _stop_ my attack?"

Gajeel's body was thrown back against the cliff, Metalicana advancing. Gajeel groaned, unsure of how much more he could take.

"I'm going to start going for blood," Metalicana told him, "You need to figure this out, Gajeel. How can you expect to beat my true form if you can't defeat a copy of a mere human? Don't you have people you want to protect? I'm going _easy_ on you right now! If you were forced into a fight with demons right now, they would _destroy_ you...and then they'd destroy the people you love!"

Metalicana threw a heavy arm backward, preparing for a blow to Gajeel's head. Gajeel's eyes went dark. He caught Metalicana's fist with one hand and pushed back.

"Good," Metalicana grinned, "Let the energy channel through you. Don't think about defense...go on the offense now."

Metal scales began taking over Gajeel's body as he swept a leg out, knocking Metalicana off his feet. Gajeel rose to his feet, his eyes gleaming his anger.

"Ain't no demon gonna touch my family," Gajeel told him, beginning to advance on Metalicana. His arms transformed to large iron clubs.

Metalicana jumped, landing a good portion up the mountain side. He began leaping from place to place so quickly, Gajeel had trouble following him with his eyes.

Gajeel focused his energy, knowing Metalicana was testing his long-range abilities now. He closed his eyes, feeling the power course through his veins. The mountain started shaking, sending boulders down toward Gajeel. He didn't dodge this time. A grayish blue energy shield was growing around him, deflecting the barrage of attacks.

Metalicana let out a pleased chuckle as the energy shield burst up the mountain towards him, blowing Metalicana's rock slide to the sides so they would no longer cascade down onto the Angel below. His grin got wider as Gajeel began ascending the mountain, now in pursuit of his mentor.

Gajeel opened his mouth, energy pouring out in a concentrated beam. It hit the side of the mountain, only feet from where Metalicana laid in wait for him.

"Pathetic!" Metalicana called out, "Your aim sucks!"

Gajeel released a second beam, this time topping the older man.

"Not bad!" Metalicana hummed, "But you can do better. Not enough force!"

Gajeel transformed his hands into pick axes, climbing the mountainside rapidly after his opponent.

Metalicana laughed gleefully as he sent his attacks down the hill. Suddenly, he paused, realizing Gajeel was no longer directly belong him.

He closed his eyes, concentrating on the sounds around him. There was nothing but silence.

"Boo!" Gajeel whispered in his ear from behind him.

Metalicana's eyes widened as Gajeel transformed an arm into a sledge hammer and wound up, knocking Metalicana over the cliff. Gajeel stared over the cliff in shock, suddenly realizing the enormity of his move. Several minutes passed...and his mentor still hadn't come back for retaliation.

"Ah crap!" Gajeel cussed, "I didn't want to kill ya! Old man! Stop playing!"

He heard the beating of wings before he saw them, a putrid smell filling the air. Gajeel's eyes widened as the beating grew steadier...and closer...until he found himself eye-to-eye with an enormous metallic dragon.

"Congratulations," the dragon told him, " _Now_ you're ready to fight my true form."

* * *

Juvia dodged Aquarius's bubble attack by bursting above. A 16-foot tiger shark torpedoed toward her. Juvia pulled her hands together, liquefying herself into the water. The shark whizzed by, shaking its' head both ways when its' eyes rolled back as it realized it had somehow missed its' prey.

She had no time to be thankful for the narrow miss as Aquarius fired another rip tide at her. She got caught up in it, flailing backward into a waiting dolphin pod. They flanked her, kicking her around like a rag doll with their tails before sending her careening back through the water, straight into Aquarius.

"You're weak," Aquarius said flatly, holding Juvia by her hair, "Where are your offensive abilities?"

"M-maybe I don't have any," Juvia murmured.

"Oh, they're in there somewhere," Aquarius assured her.

The marine animals were circling them again, waiting for further instruction from the mermaid. Juvia could feel herself shaking and her confidence waning.

"Please," she said, her voice unsteady, "Tell me how to use them. I don't know what to do. I'm barely avoiding their attacks."

"That's not true," Aquarius told her, "You figured out the liquify trick. You actually defended yourself fairly well...for a blue-haired _moron._ And you'll figure out the others too. If you can do that, you might get a boyfriend!"

"I... have a boyfriend," Juvia rebutted, her voice low.

Aquarius gave her a lopsided half-smile, "You do, do you? Does he look like this?"

Juvia's mouth dropped as a man was brought out by an octopus and placed onto the sea-shelf below her. She could see his jet-black hair waving with the water. His tell-tale tattoo on his chest and the fact that he was shirtless convinced the wide-eyed Juvia - somehow Aquarius had kidnapped her beloved Gray and was holding him captive. He was bound, held down by the octopus, but he had been given a breathing apparatus. His eyes were closed. She was supposed it was better that way. He would be freaked right out if he were awake.

"Be brave, my love!" Juvia yelled to him, her voice trailing off with her lack of confidence, "We'll get out of this...somehow."

"Now this time," Aquarius told her, "You attack. See that pod of killer whales?"

Juvia nodded, eyeing the three orcas that were criss crossing in front of the marine life that had gathered.

"They haven't eaten in weeks," Aquarius told her, "And I told them if you fail your training, they can have all the Gray-sama-sandwiches they want."

Juvia's eyes widened in horror as Aquarius swam to a nearby coral to take a seat.

"Remember to channel your energy and focus," Aquarius waved her hand, disinterestedly, "Instinct should kick in when you see him being devoured for lunch if you can't figure it out."

She began to file her nails. Juvia could feel her face getting hotter. Of all the instructors she _could_ have had, how did she end up with this sadistic bitch?

"Better hurry," Aquarius suggested, "The pod has started to move."

Juvia took off swimming, trying to race the pod of three whales as they went after her beloved. They were much faster than her, she realized. She wouldn't get there in time. She thought back to the trick that she'd already figured out, wondering if she'd move faster as water.

Closing her eyes, she called upon the energy of Heaven. She liquefied, stupefied by the sudden burst of speed she had as water. She shot past the three whales, then solidified, turning to face them. They were already dividing to attack from all sides.

Juvia rotated her hands, causing the water in front of Gray to spin like an underwater cyclone...an effective barrier until she could figure out the rest of her plan of action. Pulling both hands back, she fired a current of water at the centre whale, knocking it off to the left. Her eyes widened - _what had she just done? More importantly, how could she do it again?_

"Close your fists!" Aquarius called, "Concentrate on your target!"

Juvia closed a fist, sticking it out in front of her chest, then turned it slowly. She almost laughed out loud when the water formed around the whale and 'locked' the creature in, immobilizing it from rejoining the coordinated attack.

"Not bad," Aquarius commented, returning to her nails.

The two remaining whales in the pod were careening toward Gray. Juvia liquefied again, racing to intervene.

"WATER SIERRA!" she screamed. She didn't know how she knew the name of the attack, but suddenly, her body was overheated, causing the water around her to begin boiling. One of the whales diverted its path to avoid the extreme temperature. She shifted, changing her attack so that she created two columns of water. They swirled together, blocking the other whale from advancing, then forcing it to turn.

Juvia channeled all the energy she had as she centred herself in front of Gray and the underwater whirlpool she had protecting him and released an enormous energy ball. It blew both whales back as she promptly water-locked them.

Breathing heavily, she glanced up at Aquarius.

"That was okay," Aquarius said nonchalantly. She waved a hand, releasing the whales from their water locks, "Thanks, boys. You're done for now."

Juvia relaxed her stance momentarily as she watched the black and white beasts swim away.

Aquarius pointed up at the other sea creatures, who were steadily swirling closer.

Juvia's eyes widened as she noticed the myriad of sea creatures preparing to attack, amongst them were great white sharks, giant squid, sea snakes, and stingrays.

"Now face them," Aquarius told her.

The sea creatures all lunged at once.

Juvia closed her eyes, summoning all her power. She looked back toward Gray, still floating motionless. She released, sending a forceful wave within the water, knocking the entire sea creature population spiralling backward.

Realizing she had a moment, Juvia split, breaking for Gray.

"I'm here, my love!" she whispered, tilting his head backward.

That was when she realized it was not Gray that was there, but a doll. It looked so remarkably like her Gray, it shocked her. And it pissed her off. Why would they give a _doll_ a breathing apparatus? Just to convince her it was actually Gray?

"What kind of sick trick -!" Juvia spat, turning to look up at the mermaid.

Aquarius was laughing, the sea creatures now swimming in peaceful circles above them.

"You should've seen your face!" Aquarius shrieked, holding her sides, "Oh jeez! I thought for sure you were going to kiss that doll!"

Juvia frowned, crossing her arms across her chest, clearly unamused.

"But hey - good news is you've passed the first level!" Aquarius told her, still trying to get a hold of herself, "Oh, my boyfriend's going to love this..."

The next thing Aquarius knew, Juvia had landed a punch to her stomach. The mermaid gasped, looking up at Juvia with murderous eyes.

"Okay then," Aquarius instantly stopped laughing, eyeing Juvia as she pulled out a golden pitcher from the coral shelf behind her, "Let's begin the next stage of training. Prepare yourself. You're going to pay for that hit."

Juvia positioned herself into a fighting stance, ready to take on the mermaid.

* * *

"What are we doing here?" Erza murmured as she and Mira walked through a large field. It had been a battlefield at some point. Skeletal remains were strewn all over it. Some bony fingers still held their weapons, even in death. The remains of a tower lay off to the left. Erza cringed, realizing there were even horse skeletons amidst the remains. Whatever battle had happened there, it had been brutal.

Mira and Erza had finished their cakes a while ago, so Mira had declared that they needed to get moving on their training.

Erza couldn't agree more. She was anxious to get back to Earthland, and as much as she appreciated really good strawberry cake, it was time to get serious.

"So why are we here?" Erza asked louder.

"We're going to start your training here!" Mira told her, smiling.

Erza glanced around her, "We missed the battle. There's nothing to fight."

Mira smile evolved into a grin, "You'll fight me!"

Erza gawked at her, looking the puny woman up and down. Mirajane was Makarov's right-hand lady. She ran three different divisions in Fairy Tail pretty much single-handedly, but she was no fighter. The tall, white-haired lady was the epitome of 'sweet' and 'beautiful'. Everyone in Heaven loved her.

Erza was already an accomplished warrior for Heaven...she really didn't know what Mirajane could possibly have to teach her. But being that she was still there, Erza guessed she must know something about training Angels, so she walked beside Mira, watching the terrain intently.

"You'll need to draw your gear from your armoire," Mira told her.

"I don't have an-" Erza started to say.

"It's like we talked about when we were eating cake," Mira interrupted her, "The armoire will only respond to you. You'll be able to call upon the armours at your convenience simply by speaking which piece you wish to use. Each one has a special and unique ability to be used in a variety of scenarios."

Erza nodded slowly, watching Mira carefully. Something was up. She wasn't acting like herself.

"Try it!" Mira said lightly, her face lighting up with a grin, "Call out Requip! See what happens."

Erza glanced at Mira skeptically, clearing her throat, "Requip."

Mira snorted and shook her head, "Oh, that was awful...try again. Channel the energy filtering naturally from Heaven. Feel it flow through you. Visualize which armour you'd like to call."

"The armour you showed me from the wardrobe in my old bedroom?" Erza questioned.

Mira nodded, "You didn't think I was actually handing you dresses for fun, did you?"

Erza's mouth fell open as Mira giggled.

Mira spread her arms wide open and closed her eyes, "Go ahead. Hit me."

"Wait – you were serious?" Erza found herself gawking again, "Mira – no offence – but even without abilities, I could knock you out with a single punch!"

Mira waved a hand at her, "I'm tougher than I look. Go on!"

She closed her eyes again, steeling herself as she waited for Erza to hit her. Slowly, one eye crept open as the hit never came. She relaxed her stance with a scowl.

"Erza," she scolded, "How are you going to learn to use your abilities if you don't hit me?"

"I can't hit you!" Erza insisted, "For one thing, Laxus would…"

She paused, watching as Mira's eyes grew dark. An ominous shadow overtook her body, her Angel garb falling to the ground in a heap.

"I was offering you a free one," Mira's voice said, deeper and raspier than normal, "Because you won't be getting another hit in."

The shadow dissipated and Erza found her mouth agape once more as she gazed at the new version of Mira standing in front of her. Her ears were pointed, her hair stood straight up on end. Her body was clad in a swimsuit-like body suit, revealing most of her skin. Gloves extended from her elbow to the tips of her fingers. They were covered in scales and long, sharp talons protruded from her fingernails. She wore thigh-high boots. But perhaps the most shocking part of the transformation was the fact that Mirajane Strauss now adorned a long, powerful tail and black wings.

"W-What…" Erza stuttered.

Mira lost no time in attacking. She spun around, knocking Erza down with her powerful tail, then proceeded to swipe a clawed hand at her. Erza barely managed to roll out of the way, her eyes widened.

"Are you a demon?" she demanded, jumping to her feet. She stepped backward, horrified at her Heavenly counterpart.

"I'm not a demon," Mira hissed, "I'm all Angel. This is my ability – I can borrow demonic powers."

Erza was shell-shocked, completely unable to cope with that news. Mira used her tail as a springboard, launching herself overtop of Erza's head, bringing both of her fists together to slam down on top of Erza's head.

"Call upon your abilities!" she roared.

Erza leaped backward, narrowing missing the attack. Mira smirked as she landed, turning to face Erza again. Erza had backed herself against the wall of the decaying ruins of the tower. She was trapped. She would not be able to dodge another attack.

"You're trapped," Mira echoed her thoughts, sashaying her hips as she approached Erza, "You have nowhere to go and you have no choice. Do it, Erza…call upon your abilities!"

Mira let out a booming screech, charging at Erza, talons extended. Erza panicked for a moment, then closed her eyes, concentrating on pooling the energy that Heaven extended to her.

"REQUIP!" Erza shouted.

She felt the tingling course through her body, shocked as she realized she had Mira by both wrists, effectively halting the attack – and even pushing her backward. She took a second to glance down at her own body, now clad in a shimmering armoured skirt and halter top with metallic wings.

"This is Heaven's Armour Wheel," Mira hissed at her, pushing Erza back against the wall, their arms still interlocked, "Do you remember how to use it?"

Erza searched her brain for the comments Mira had made when she'd non-stop yakked her ear off at the wardrobe.

"Figure it out quickly," Mira warned.

Erza saw the flash of Mira's tail behind her and shot into the air using her new wings, just as the tail crashed down into the spot she had only just been. Mira grinned, taking to the sky with her own wings. She skyrocketed through the air, aiming straight for Erza. Erza held her arms out in front of her, focusing energy through her body.

"Blumenatt!" she hollered.

The scraping of metal filled the air as the swords of the past warriors flew to her side. The rusted remains renewed themselves into sharp, shiny new swords. Erza willed the swords to aim true and fly at Mira, shocking herself as they did exactly that.

Mira squealed with glee, knocking them aside with her tail, then continued her pursuit as Erza flew higher.

"More!" she yelled after Erza, "You need to call on more abilities than that! Call them all!"

She began to disappear, reappearing in different spots in the skyline. Erza narrowed her eyes, trying to decipher if she was transporting, then realizing she was just extremely fast. If she could determine which way Mira was going to dodge, she could get a hit in.

She watched carefully, soon picking out Mira's pattern. Mira was gathering dark energy, preparing to fire an attack at her.

"REQUIP!" Erza hollered, "BLACK WING ARMOUR!"

Instantly, she felt the tingling on her skin again, only briefly glancing at the black bikini she wore and the long, dark cape that was adorned her body.

"MOON FLASH!"

Erza charged the spot the left of Mira, feeling the exhilaration as she realized she had correctly predicted Mira's next move. Their bodies collided and plummeted back to the surface, smashing into the ground below them at full speed.

Both women were flat on their stomachs on the ground. Mira had reverted back to her classic Angel form, smiling as her eyes met Erza's. There was a trickle of blood running from the corner of her mouth.

"Well done," she told Erza.

Erza grunted, realizing how much energy that attack had taken from her.

She was not able to rest long. Mira had bounced back to her feet, the dark, ominous shadow overtaking her body again. When it dissipated, a different demon form faced Erza.

She wore a blue-striped bodice this time, her wings a pale blue-gray. Her white hair cascaded around her shoulders in the much-more familiar style.

"You won one round," Mira told her, already starting to gather energy, "Let's see if you can do it again. New rule…you can't use the same armour twice."

Erza groaned, forcing herself off the ground. She made direct eye contact with Mira as she prepared her attack.

"Okay, Mira," Erza gathered her own energy, her confidence beginning to soar, "You're on."

Mira let out a feral scream as she charged at Erza, her tail whipping behind. Erza stood calmly, watching her come. She didn't yell until the last second.

"REQUIP!"

* * *

Levy laughed, declaring herself the winner and Rufus delighted in the sound. That was two games of Scrabble down. Levy had won the challenge with the word 'diphtheria'.

He watched her as she cleared the tiles, her eyes alight as she placed them back into the little black bag and then into the game box.

"You're very beautiful, Levy," he commented, "I'm going to memorize this moment."

Levy paused, glancing up at her instructor. Was he hitting on her?

"I'm married," Levy said stupidly, "And I have a daughter."

He laughed lightly, "Sadly, I am aware of this. No matter. We need to get to the task at hand."

Levy nodded, relaxing now that there was not going to be an issue.

"Your ability lies within the written word," he told her. His burgundy mask did little to hide the excitement in his emerald eyes, "Which is fitting, for you I think, my dear."

Levy blushed, sitting back an inch or two in her seat.

"I have a challenge for you," he told her, leaning forward.

She smiled nervously and leaned back. He was a little too much in her space.

He slammed a piece of paper in front of her. She stared blankly at it for a moment, reading the words.

"What is this?" she asked.

"It's a test," he told her, strutting behind her with both arms behind his back, "Write the test, my dear. And when you're done, I'll mark it for you."

"Do you…have a pen?" she glanced around the table for the pens they'd been using for Scrabble.

Rufus held them up, then tucked them into his breast pocket, "No pens allowed, my dear. What I want you to do is script the words. Feel them. Bring them to life on your own."

Levy cocked her head, "Umm..."

"Go on. Read the first question," he beckoned her.

"It's chemistry," she groaned, "Why couldn't it be literature?"

He grinned at her, shooting her an alluring grin, "It would be too easy for you and wouldn't have the same effect. You wouldn't learn."

She cocked an eyebrow at him, then turned back to the paper.

"Periodic symbol translation for 'Fe'," she read, "Well, that's easy…it's iron."

He grinned, "Script it."

She shook her head, still not completely understanding, then put her finger to the paper like a pen.

"If there's no room," he suggested, pacing back and forth, "Try scripting it in the air."

She sighed, feeling a little bit foolish for what she was about to do, but did it anyway. She traced the letters one by one in the air.

She gasped as suddenly iron bars appeared in front of her on the table.

"H-how?"

"Try something else," Rufus encouraged her, "Question 2 on the test."

Levy nodded, glancing at the 2nd question.

"Name something delicious," she read.

She met his eyes for reassurance before taking a deep breath and raising her finger to the air.

I-C-E C-R-E-A-M

Instantly, a soft ice cream cone appeared in front of her. She glanced at him before hesitantly taking it from the air.

"It's good," she stated, "Want one?"

Rufus chuckled, "No, thank you, my dear."

After finishing her cone, Levy turned back to her test.

"Bees need it to pollinate," she stated.

She lifted her finger hesitantly, drawing the word in the air.

F-L-O-W-E-R-S

Instantly, the air burst forth, showering the two of them with fresh daisies and chrysanthemums. Levy's eyes bulged with awe as she watched the display.

Rufus gathered some of the fallen flowers, creating a bouquet for her with a ribbon from his pocket. He got down on one knee and presented them to her.

"For you, my dear. Your beauty should be showered with flower petals every day."

Levy blushed, quickly scripting, then flicking the letters above his head with her fingers.

W-A-T-E-R

Water burst out of nowhere, soaking Rufus's hat. Levy stifled a giggle.

Rufus cleared his throat as he removed his hat, brushing the water off the felt. He tried drying the feather as well. Sadly, it was _really_ wet.

"I apologize, my dear," he stated, "If I've overstepped my boundaries."

Levy blushed again, realizing her reaction may have been a bit harsh.

"Let's move on to offensive maneuvers, shall we?" Rufus suggested.

Levy nodded, accepting him his elbow as he escorted her to the next room of the library. She watched the scenery melt away from library to a target practice gym.

"Script a woodpile," he told her.

She closed her eyes, channeling Heaven's energy as she wrote 'woodpile' in the air.

"Incredible," she whispered, eyeing the stack of neatly piled wood in front of her.

"Memorized," Rufus said, placing two fingers to his temple, "Now…let's practice using those targets. You can script in the air and simultaneously aim for your target…like you just did with the water."

She glanced at him incredulously.

"You flicked the words even as you wrote them," Rufus explained.

"But can I hit a target?"

Rufus gave her an amused smile, wringing out his hat again to prove his point.

Levy bit her lit, considering her instructions. Her eyes lit up and she realized how completely simple the task was. She was making it harder than it needed to be. It was her own thoughts that it was impossible that was holding her back.

"Create something and throw it at the target," he instructed.

She eyed the target, trying to decide how to complete the task.

"K-N-I-F-E," she wrote in the air. She thrust her hand toward the target. A 10-inch hunting knife appeared out of nowhere, careening through the air with the gesture of her hand. It was nowhere near the target, clanging on to the ground just passed it, but Levy was beside herself with excitement.

"Very good, my dear," Rufus praised her, "Memorized. Now. Let's work on…accuracy."

A-R-R-O-W-S

Instantly, a dozen arrows flew at the targets, a few of them even hitting.

Levy clapped her hands, jumping up and down with excitement.

Rufus smiled, placing both arms behind his back as he began to pace the floor behind her.

Levy didn't need his suggestions anymore. She concentrated on accuracy as she began to script random objects, flinging them to her targets.

* * *

"Lily, I think you've gotten even _stronger_ since I last saw you!" Carla quipped as they walked side-by-side down the path.

"Fro thinks so too!" the Exceed-frog shouted. Lector nodded enthusiastically.

Lily, Carla, Frosch and Lector walked in a horizontal line, Happy trudging grumpily behind them. He was incredibly unhappy with the way things were going today.

" _I think you're even stronger!"_ he mocked with his lips. He rolled his eyes. Lily wasn't _that_ great.

"An Exceed's offensive abilities," Lily was saying, "Lie in supporting our Angel counterparts. We are there as helpers. Our watchful eyes are second to none. And often, we are the first to know of danger."

He winked at Carla. Happy felt his blood begin to boil. He vaguely noted his footsteps becoming stomps.

"Happy!" Lily glanced back at him, "Are you doing okay? Why don't you come walk with the rest of us?"

"I'm good!" Happy called out flatly, "I like it back here…it's nice."

Lily shot him a confused glance, but turned back to the path.

"As such," Lily continued as they entered the garden gazebo. Various exercise items lay around, ready for use, "It is important for us to remain in tip-top physical condition. We will all learn hand-to-hand combat skills. And we will practice them in our animal forms, Exceed forms _and_ our anthropoid forms."

"Anthropoid!" Happy scoffed, bursting out laughing, "He made up that word! Exceeds don't have the ability to turn humanoid—"

Happy froze mid-thought as Lily stood to his full height. He was as tall as a human man, his black chest chiseled and scarred from years of hard work. Carla swooned as Frosch and Lector both gazed at Lily with admiration.

"Your anthropoid forms will boost your strength," he told them, casting a friendly grin back at the disbelieving Happy, "But your physique has to be good to begin with. Otherwise, you will not be able to carry your human wards with your wings and you will not be able to shield them. Line up!"

Hesitantly, Happy fell into line, the other four Exceeds already in place and grinning like idiots.

"Wings out!" Lily ordered, shrinking back down to his Exceed size. His voice changed with the new size, going from deep to semi-deep, "Start flapping. You need to rise at least 3 feet before going back down, then drop into a push-up."

As he demonstrated, the other Exceeds got into place. Carla readily assumed the position. Lector took off his vest. Even Frosch took off his onesie far enough that his wings were exposed. Harrumphing, Happy took of the little backpack he always wore. It contained snacks. One could never be too prepared.

He glanced at Lily, an evil smirk crossing his muzzle. Lily couldn't compete with him...

...he had a backpack full of raspberries.

* * *

Wendy marveled (ha ha) at the sight of the endless clouds. It was true that Heaven was situated on clouds, but Heaven was an endless realm. It had been a while since she'd seen nothing but cloud as far as the eye could see.

"You've know for some time that you have the ability to heal," Grandeeney told her as they strolled on top of the clouds, "Yours is a skill that has transgressed far above and beyond the average Angel's ability to do so. You've been honing those skills on your own...and they are impressive."

Wendy smiled, "Thank you."

"As a Sky Angel," Grandeeney said softly, "You also have the ability to manipulate air. There are many ways that this can come in handy. Am I right in the assumption that you really have no interest in harming other beings?"

Wendy nodded, "It's not my nature. But the other day...when the demons took Daisuke..."

"You've never felt so hopeless," Grandeeney supplied.

Wendy nodded again, "I wasn't strong enough."

"Wendy...you are a special kind of Angel," Grandeeney said softly, "And as such, you are equipped with a lot of defensive and healing abilities. But you are completely capable of substantial offensive powers as well. You were telling me about protecting Daisuke earlier and using some abilities you didn't know you had. Tell me again."

"I created a whirlwind," Wendy said thoughtfully, "And there was this _energy pulse_ that came from my mouth."

Grandeeney smiled proudly, "You used the Sky Angel Roar and Wave Wind."

"I used what?"

Grandeeney's smile broadened, "Let's try to do it again."

Wendy nodded slowly, standing across from Grandeeney.

"Close your eyes," Grandeeney instructed.

Wendy glanced at her, then closed her eyes as she was told.

"Feel Heaven's energy," Grandeeney told her, "Draw it into your body…do you feel it?"

Wendy sighed contently. It was an amazing feeling. She felt completely and utterly calm and at peace.

"Heaven's energy will sustain both in times of peace and at battle," Grandeeney told her, "I highly recommend taking time to meditate and bask in the pure energy. But in times of battle, you will not have the luxury of time to meditate with. You need to be able to draw on the energy at will."

Wendy's eyes shot open at the transition of Grandeeney's voice. Suddenly, she realized they weren't walking on clouds anymore, but they were in a mountain range, standing at the edge of a cliff. She jumped back from the edge, glancing at Grandeeney with wide eyes.

"In order to sustain a Sky Angel's Roar," Grandeeney told her, ignoring the girl's expression, "You need to make sure you maintain that connection. You were just in a state of meditation. Hold the connection. Pool the energy in your body, then release it."

Wendy glanced across the edge of the mountain to where Grandeeney was pointing. She let out a cry of despair, realizing a baby fawn teetered precariously on the edge, bleating pathetically at a cougar stalking it hungrily, narrowing the gap between them. The mother deer paced anxiously at the bottom of the cliff, bleating back to her baby anxiously.

"Save it," Grandeeney beckoned, "You don't have to hurt the cougar. It is only following nature's call. Channel your energy. Focus on hitting close to the cougar to scare it away, but not hard enough to hit it or the deer."

Wendy took a deep breath, closing her eyes so that she could concentrate. She felt the energy pool within her. Suddenly, her eyes flew open, focusing directly on the spot she wanted to aim her shot. She released her energy, sending a whipping wind across the gorge. She hit her mark just beside the advancing cougar, causing it to rear up in alarm. The fawn still had nowhere to go, however. Once the cougar shook off its' initial shock, it resumed its momentum.

Grandeeney stepped back, watching to see what Wendy would do next.

Wendy assessed the gap between the rock cliff and her position, deciding that leaping the 60-foot gap might be a _bit_ too risky. She shot off another Sky Angel Roar, then glanced back at Grandeeney.

"What will happen if I –" Wendy began to say.

"Don't hesitate!" Grandeeney cried out, "There's no time!"

Wendy cried, focusing all her energy into creating gale force winds, throwing them across the ravine. The cougar roared, launching itself at the frightened fawn, swiping furiously with its claw. The wind hit the cougar, knocking it back, but the little fawn got hit too. It teetered, then plunged over the cliff.

Wendy barely registered what she was doing as she took a running leap off the rock face, using the wind to propel her over the gap. She grabbed the fawn mid-air, redirecting her winds into a whipping tornado, gently decreasing the ferociousness of it as she lowered them both to the ground.

Wendy collapsed, fawn in arms, panting as she glanced back up at the cliff. The cougar, now cheated out of its meal, made its way back to the top of the mountain to search for another less troublesome prey.

"You can't fly," Grandeeney grinned as she appeared beside Wendy, "That was incredibly stupid and impulsive, what you just did…I'm really proud of you."

Wendy released the fawn, watching it bound toward the waiting mother at the edge of the thicket.

Grandeeney helped Wendy up as the scenery faded away. Suddenly, they were standing on the endless clouds again.

"I can't believe I just did that!" Wendy exclaimed. The fact that it had all been an illusion was irrelevant. Wendy felt pure adrenaline rush through her veins and it was exhilarating.

"You see?" Grandeeney hugged her, sharing Wendy's excitement, "You are completely capable. Now…are you ready for the next lesson?"

Wendy's eyes widened as she watched Grandeeney transform. Her body enlarged to the size of a house, turning white with soft, groomed feathers. Her triangular head adorned rows of saturated teeth and her eyes were dark, but Wendy was unafraid. Grandeeney was the picture of elegance and power…she was _beautiful._

The terrain changed again. This time, the clouds remained, but there were large gaps. Wendy tiptoed to the edge, looking down to Earthland.

"It's time, Sky Angel," Grandeeney said, laying a gentle wing on Wendy's shoulder, "What do you say we start learning your true power?"

* * *

The demon chuckled to himself, watching the poor saps outside of the jail cells pace. They were pathetic. But not as pathetic as the wimps inside the cells. He watched Jackal and Dan shift uncomfortably.

 _Good._ They could sense his presence subconsciously. He moved a bit closer. It wasn't time yet…but soon enough, when the time came, the pathetic jail mates would already be beside themselves with irrational fear. He loved watching his victims squirm.

He watched as a raven-haired kid arrived to take over the night-shift. He licked his lips as a bead of sweat fled the boy's hairline and made its way down his throat.

"Dessert," he grinned, eyeing the delectable youngster.

He glanced back to the cell that contained the fidgeting prisoner, "But first…I'll wait for the main course."

* * *

 _SNEAK PEAK - Chapter 23 Angel Of Oops 2 - Angels of the Discerning Son:_

 _Mavis sat on the rooftop across from the building she suspected contained the Church of Alvarez members. She had used all of Heaven's resources to locate it, petitioning Angels from all over Earthland to report their knowledge on the underground church. Another Guardian of Magnolia had pinpointed the building for her. His ward had a friend that regularly attended meetings at the facility. Thankfully, he had managed to steer his ward away._

 _She narrowed her eyes, focusing so she could see through the walls into the building. There was no sign of captives, but she could sense heated images moving about the building. Heated images with dark auras._

 _"Only one way to find out," she prodded herself, hopping off the edge of the building._

 _Mavis held her head high as she walked through the front doors, completely aware they would all detect her. She had taken all barriers down, throwing out her Heavenly aura like beacon to the beasts._

 _She wanted answers…and exposing herself was the best way to get them._

* * *

 **WOW! _So that's where we're leaving the story for a 2-week hiatus while I prepare for Nalu Week (July 1 - 8)._**

 ** _My dear friend, Quite-A-Riot, the insanely talented author of Passive Aggressive Post-Its, has challenged me to a fun challenge. We're going to write 21 - TWENTY-ONE \- One Shots! That's 3 one-shots a day for the entire week!_**

 ** _Some of the stories will be related to Oops, but I'll do a few stories unrelated as well._**

 ** _So hit me up with comments and/or story ideas! Are there any stories in the Oops World you'd like more detail on?_**

 ** _And just to keep things fun, here's your sneak peak for next week, coming from a one-shot I've lovingly dubbed, 'Buck-A-Suck'. Enjoy!_**

 _SNEAK PEAK:_

 _"HELL NO!" he yelled, hopping off the bar stool, "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE! FIGHT ME! ALL OF YOU!"_

 _Sting gave him a lopsided grin, "You asked for it, Salamander. Boys – get the cuffs!"_

 _About 10 men jumped on Natsu all at once, but Natsu swung wildly. There was no way they were taking him willingly. He managed an uppercut to Loke's jaw, sending him reeling backwards. One down. He kicked out, landing the blow right in the centre of Rogue's stomach. That's two. He whirled around, throwing his fists out wildly as the remaining men pounced on him, wrestling him to the floor._

 _"I won't go! I won't!" Natsu was screaming._

 _Finally, the men backed away in a tight circle, admiring their work. Natsu could not escape now…he had a 20-pound ball and chain shackled to his left ankle…and another one on the right. On his wrist, he was handcuffed…to a blow-up doll with blonde hair and really ugly make-up. Her cheeks were bright red and her mouth was wide open. She wore nothing but a bikini...a very ugly bikini._


	23. Chapter 23

_**That Hiatus lasted a loooootttt longer than I meant it to be. I apologize to you - and thank the people PM'ing to see if the story would resume. :D The summer might end up sporadic, but I won't abandon it. I have a very good idea about how it will progress and end...and it's worth writing.**_

 _ **Nalu Week was an absolute blast! If you didn't know, Quite-A-Riot, WordsAreMySpells1331, and I each wrote 21 one-shots for Nalu week - 3 per day! It was SUPER fun. Kudos to the fellow authors who participated!**_

 _ **My posts are under Nalu Week Prompts 2016, Nalu Week Prompts 2017, Nalu Week Random One-Shots, Buck-A-Suck, and Accept My Fish. Please take the time to check them out! Guaranteed to laugh and cry :D**_

 ** _And now...back to Angel of Oops 2...ENJOY!_**

* * *

Sting and Yukino stood together at his office door, watching police officers return Jiggle's personal items as they prepared to release him.

"Nothing," Sting sighed in utter frustration, "We've been searching all night and _nothing_ has come of it…and our only witness is a freakin' moron."

"You have no idea," Yukino groaned, "I take it you went to Toby's or Yuka's house?"

Sting nodded, "Evidence points to them living together...in a hell-hole, no less. An empty abomination. It needs to be condemned. They must be using a fake address at school. Either way, _that_ is where Cana Alberona went missing."

Yukino frowned, "Your night didn't come up completely empty then, Sting..."

"Rogue has taken a crew back to the Dragneel house. They're going to see if they can get answers out of Aki and the twins about the bullying. I'm here to find out what the witness had to say…which is obviously horseshit and a dead end."

"Horseshit, yes…" Yukino said, thinking deeply, "But since we know he knows something, we're not letting him go that easily."

"What do you mean?" Sting asked.

Yukino nodded toward the desk where 2 other men were in the process of getting checked out.

"Is that Ichiya and Bob?" Sting whispered, his voice low.

Yukino nodded, "Now all we need is for Jiggle to take the bait."

* * *

"Seeya in a few hours," Romeo called to Jet.

It had been another quiet night at Fairy Tail for the most part, save for the uncomfortable tension in the air. The cameras that recorded the inside the jail cells where Dan and Jackal resided revealed that both men had broken sleep. Romeo had been uncomfortable too. He didn't know why, however. It was an uneasy, tense feeling that neither Mest, Loke, nor Jet had seemed to notice.

Nonetheless, he had a couple hours before he absolutely had to sleep before his next night shift at Fairy Tail...and he had a lot on his agenda.

He spent a good portion of the night thinking about the manuscript he'd read. If it was true that Angels protected the citizens of Magnolia, he wondered if it could also be true that demons were the murderers of Kari and Samuel. It was an interesting thought. He wondered if there would be any books at the library that could explain how to deal with demons…because surrounded by Angels or not, the humans of Magnolia were _way_ out of their element if there was any truth to it at all.

His cell phone went off, making him groan. It was probably Chelia… _again_. She had been serial-texting him since their run-in the other day, convinced that he was completely in love with her.

 _"Romeo?"_ the text message read, " _I really think we should talk about what happened. You're obviously unhappy without me…can't we get together?"_

 _"Going to bed, Chelia. Worked the graveyard."_

Turning his cell off to avoid her answer, Romeo frowned, going back to his other train of thought. If demons had attacked the murder victims…could they be responsible for Daisuke and Cana's disappearances as well?

He drove down the street a lot faster than he should have, heading to the spot that had been determined to be the place where Daisuke had been taken. He knew he might not find anything… _hell, he didn't even know what he was looking for…_ but none of the officers had been looking for the 'unusual'. Romeo was the only one, other than Rogue and Sting, who knew anything about the Heavenly connection to the events of 16 years earlier. Maybe he'd see something no one else did.

He walked the path slowly, eyes to the ground for anything unusual…anything that the average cop would overlook.

He came to the spot where Daisuke had been attacked. Several of the trees were cut cleanly, burn marks edging the cut marks. It was odd. Flat grass marked another area. Something shone in the sunlight.

Stooping over, he picked up a cell phone. It was blue…and unlike anything he'd ever seen. He tried to turn it on, frowning as he realized he couldn't find a button anywhere to do so. He slipped the cell phone in his pocket.

He continued down the path, finding odd marks everywhere. He wondered how Sting and Rogue had missed them.

Several minutes passed as he realized he'd walked almost the entire path and was almost back at the Dragneel house. He took a sharp breath, letting out a low whistle. He was well past Daisuke's point of abduction…but something had happened _here_ as well. Slime pools lay at the edge of the path. He bent, wondering it would be toxic to his fingers if he were to dip them into the substance. Glancing up at the trees, he could see random icicles hanging from the branches, dripping as they melted onto the sidewalk below. Other random branches were broken. Upon closer inspection, Romeo realized they'd been severed. Each cut was completely clean.

"There was another fight here," Romeo gasped out loud, "Daisuke was taken down the path…Cana was taken outside of an address the school had for Toby and Yuka…so what the hell happened here?"

Completely unsure of what else to do, he took pictures. He wasn't even sure why himself…no one would believe him that there was a supernatural event happening under their noses…except maybe Rogue and Sting.

* * *

"Wow," Lucy let out a low whistle as she pulled the bandage off Lark's forehead, "I…don't believe it."

"What?" Lark joked, "Have I sprouted horns or something?"

"Wouldn't be surprised!" Sora mentioned with a snarky look at her friend as she went to join Aki in the kitchen to clean up the breakfast dishes.

Lucy shook her head, getting up from her position sitting on the living room coffee table. A moment later, she returned with a mirror.

"Take a look for yourself," she told him.

Lark lifted the mirror, his mouth dropping open. The once-angry wound had all but closed. There were no signs of infection at all. All the bruising had disappeared, leaving a white cross-like scar. He couldn't believe the very definite contrast to the last time he'd seen the wound only a few days ago.

"That Polysporin is good stuff!" he remarked.

"Hmm," Lucy murmured, "Well, I suppose we'll re-bandage it for today, but I wonder if it needs it anymore since the open areas seem to have healed. Maybe…when things settle…we'll see if we can see Dr. Porlyusica early."

He nodded, fidgeting with his good hand impatiently. The other kids had rolled up the beds for the day. Completely unsure of how to pass the time while they were seemingly under siege, Lucy had brought out board games. The younger kids had indulged, happy for the distraction. Lark's antsiness, however, was not going to be distracted so easily. He was itching to go help find Daisuke and Cana.

"My shoulder feels incredible today," he told her, "I'm dying to take this cast off."

She shook her head, "That's not happening."

He sighed his defeat. He really _was_ amazed by the difference in pain level from yesterday to today, however. There was virtually nothing.

"Okay – you're good," Lucy told him, reaching down for her phone again to check and see if there were any new messages since the last time she'd checked…10 minutes ago.

"Nothing?" Lark asked.

The other occupants of the house were beginning to stir. It had been a restless night. Some had slept out of pure fatigue. Others – like Laki – spent the night worrying, tossing and turning. Even now, Laki was trying to rest her eyes. Megumi was curled into her side, but her face was tear-streaked. Lucy didn't know what to do to help her anymore.

Lucy shook her head, noting the despair that crossed Lark's face.

"They'll let us know as soon as there's something to report," she promised, trying to keep her voice steady.

"That's not good enough," Lark stated, his voice quivering. His face contorted into a mixture of anguish and anger, "We need to organize search parties. Someone out there knows something."

Lucy glanced at some of the smaller children, staring at Lucy and Lark with frightened eyes. Laki stared at them with a blank expression, finally having cried out all her tears.

She grabbed his hand and ushered him into his bedroom down the hall. "The _police_ will find them," Lucy promised once they were safe behind the closed door, "Right now, the best thing we can do is stay out of the way. Whoever took Daisuke and Cana might be after us too."

"They can't keep us under siege," Lark protested, "The more people that are out there, the better chance we have of finding them. And it's broad daylight. We'll be safe if we look in groups."

Lucy took his hand, squeezing it lightly, "You aren't the only one feeling the utter frustration, Lark. Laki is beside herself with worry, not only for her son, but also for her very good friend. Cana is one of my best friends…Daisuke is like a son to me. The children are scared spitless. We all love them. And we all feel a little helpless right now. But I'm begging you…do as your father asks and don't make waves."

Lark frowned, something telling him he needed to back the hell off and let it go. He wondered if an Angel was nearby.

She squeezed his good shoulder, "Take a minute. The kids can't see how upset you are. Just…come out when you get it together, okay?"

Lark nodded. Lucy took a deep breath, then left the room.

He wandered to the window, noting the still-heavy police presence outside. They still thought there could be a threat, or Sting would've called them off this morning. Either way, there was no way he was getting outside without being detected.

"Wendy?" he called out, "Isn't there something the Angels can do?"

He sighed heavily when he got no answer. His assumption was right…Wendy wasn't around. He hoped that meant the Angels were out looking too.

"You said you wouldn't leave me," he cried out awkwardly to the empty air, "Where are you, Wendy?"

Still not getting a sign of any kind, he peered down at his arm, wishing he could take the cast off. He needed to be out there looking for Daisuke. He wondered if Aki and Sora were feeling the same frustration he was. He was willing to bet they were.

* * *

Daisuke cringed as Cana lifted his shirt to examine the wound on his side. Thankfully, Hughes had forgotten to turn off the switch outside the room that controlled the lightbulb inside the tiny cellar once he was outside the room. That meant she had light to examine Daisuke.

His entire torso area was black and blue, swollen from the impact of multiple hits to his side. An angry scrape wound its way around his side. She really wished for some water to clean it off. Life threatening? No. But he _would_ need a doctor. She needed to get him out of there as soon as possible.

"That's one ugly bruise," she told him, "but I don't think there's broken any ribs or anything."

Daisuke maintained eye contact with her as she moved to where he'd been clubbed by the crowbar on the head. There was a part of him that wondered if she was lying to keep him from worrying. She thumbed the open puncture gently. It was dangerously close to his eye, but he wasn't complaining about not being able to see or about a headache.

"You have a puncture wound here, but it's not deep."

Daisuke pulled back, "Well, don't _poke_ it!"

She let him go, turning her glare to Toby and Yuka, sitting on the other side of the cellar. Toby was curled into the corner of the room, his eyes closed. He was breathing rapidly, whispering to himself under his breath.

"Are you happy?" she demanded, "You must have felt like big men – ganging up on Daisuke like that."

"Yuka scoffed, "We didn't touch him. The other three did that. Pretty good job too."

"Come here and say that!" Daisuke shouted, "I'm surprised you're so cocky when you don't have your demon friends backing you up!"

Cana put a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head. He took in a sharp breath, but leaned back against the wall obediently. She returned her gaze to Toby and Yuka. Yuka was starting back at Daisuke, lightning bolts in his eyes. Toby…what in the hell _was_ he doing?

"Is he panicking?" Cana asked, pointing to Toby.

Yuka lost his defiant demeanor, turning to a more concerned expressed as he checked his buddy. Toby sounded like he couldn't breathe, taking quick, sharp breaths. His eyes were squeezed shut, sweat gathering in beads upon his forehead. He placed a hand on Toby's shoulder, then shot darts through his eyes at Cana and Daisuke across the room.

"Stay away from him!" Yuka yelled.

"Relax, kid," Cana told him, "I have no intentions of hurting him…but he _is_ having a panic attack. I can help him."

Yuka stared at her for several moments before grabbing Toby on both shoulders.

"Tobes…C'mon, man…snap out of it."

"He's claustrophobic, right?" Cana asked, edging nearer by a couple inches. She stopped, waiting to see their next reaction. Behind her, Daisuke watched. He didn't know what she was up to, but she was definitely playing at something.

Yuka nodded, shielding Toby with his body.

"I'm not going to hurt him," Cana repeated, biting back the further insult she really wanted to add.

She crept close enough to touch them. Yuka's eyes were wide with uncertainty.

"Yuka," she said softly, "You know who I am if you've honestly been stalking us for months. I am Cana Alberona of Fairy Tail, a trained counsellor. I can help him through his panic attack if you'll let me."

Yuka took a deep breath, glancing at Toby, who was completely oblivious to the world. Nodding slowly, he released Toby from his grasp and stepped back from his panic-stricken friend. Daisuke and Yuka exchanged glances briefly. Daisuke was struck by the concern in Yuka's eyes. He really cared about Toby.

"Toby," Cana said gently, now settled right beside Toby, "Focus on my voice. Listen only to me. Do you hear me, Toby?"

Toby's eyes were still closed. Beads of sweat rolled down his face. At first, there was no response.

Just as Cana was about to try again, he responded by nodding furiously, "Yeah…yeah I hear you."

"Good," Cana said gently, "I want you to focus solely on me, Toby. You are safe. The walls are not closing in on you. Your heart is not going to burst…it's only beating fast."

Toby glanced up at her, "I'm going to have a heart attack."

She shook her head, "No, you're not. You need to calm down. Once you calm yourself, that feeling will go away. You're safe. It's a large room and it's not going to collapse. It's going to be okay."

Toby sucked in a breath, clearly not accepting Cana's words.

"Toby," she reached out, taking his hands from where they clenched his own body. She held them gently, noting how unsteady they were, "Listen to me. It's okay that you feel threatened by being in this room right now. You can get through this. Breathe with me."

Cana took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. At first, Toby continued tuning her out, but gradually, she noted him trying to match her breathing.

"You are safe," she repeated, "Open your eyes, Toby."

Toby shook his head, "I can't. It's reminds me too much of _that place_ …I just want out of here."

"I know, Toby…we'd all like to get out of here," she frowned, squeezing his hands lightly to show her support, "Toby…what place are you talking about?"

His head shaking became vigorous, his breathing becoming erratic again.

"We're aren't there, Toby," Cana reminded him, "Listen to my voice. Remember that you're safe."

He nodded, trying to calm down again.

Daisuke wasn't sure if he should be proud that Cana was managing to control the level of anxiety that Toby was feeling or not. Part of him wanted to exploit it. After all they'd been through in the past 24 hours, did Toby deserve the compassion Cana was showing him?

He'd heard his mother lecture him and his sister multiple times on how every person had circumstances beneath the surface that others could see…circumstances that altered the way they dealt with things later in life. He wondered if that's what Cana was trying to do…see deeper into Toby's circumstances.

"Why is he like this?" he asked Yuka in a low voice.

He hated the question. He'd had it asked to him so many times in regard to his sister. Megumi, since she was slightly autistic, and often targeted by other kids. They didn't understand why some things made her shut down. He felt a pang of guilt, his mother's words suddenly coming back him full-force. As much as he hated to admit it, Toby likely had circumstances that contributed to his claustrophobia…maybe even precipitating his and Yuka's agreement to work with demons to bully Daisuke and his friends.

Yuka's face had lost all defiance as he watched Cana work with Toby to bring him back from his panic attack. His face was emotionless, other than his obvious worry.

"Toby was locked in a closet for almost 8 months at a foster home he had," Yuka said softly, temporarily forgetting that Daisuke was his enemy, "Bastards kept him for the money, but didn't actually want him...when social workers found him, he was almost dead."

Cana glanced backward, acknowledging Yuka's admission with a nod of her head, then continued to soothe Toby.

"I'm sorry, man," Daisuke said.

It was all he could come up. He was still finding it hard to be compassionate with the two boys that had helped orchestrate his kidnapping.

Yuka didn't reply, watching as Toby finally opened his eyes and let Cana slip her arms around his back, hugging him gently.

"She's good," Yuka commented.

"Yeah," Daisuke agreed, "She's the best."

* * *

Rogue arrived at the Dragneel house, Evergreen and Alzack in tow. Everyone froze as they entered the door to the kitchen. Lark was on his way to talk to Aki and Sora to see what they thought about a private investigation. He froze mid-step, seeing the state of the normally robust Assistant Chief of the Magnolia Police Department. The forlorn looks his face – and the faces of his companions - told Lark he wasn't going to get his chance to talk to Aki and Sora as of yet.

Rogue looked awful. There were dark bags under his eyes. His hair was completely messy and his uniform was rumpled. Laki glanced at him, her eyes filled with hope, which drained as she took in her husband's appearance. Her body shook as she choked back a sob.

"We found the spot where Cana was taken," Rogue told her, loud enough for the entire room to hear, but he spoke specifically to his wife, "That's about all we can report. I'm sorry, Laki…"

He looked away, aware that every eye was on him. His body shook as he fell to his knees, covering his face with his hands. Lucy gathered her youngest children to her, reaching for Megumi as well.

"Nothing?" Laki's voice was so quiet, it was very hard to hear.

"We're not stopping," Evergreen cut in, "Many of the officers haven't had any sleep and won't be sleeping today either."

Laki was staring at her husband, hunched onto the ground. In all their years together, she'd never seen him like this. Rogue was distraught...and broken...

"He needs you," Lucy whispered to Laki.

"I'm still angry," Laki said under her breath to Lucy, "Why hasn't he found _anything?_ The longer Daisuke is gone, the more likely..."

Lucy put a supportive hand on her friend's shoulder, "And Rogue is feeling every bit of that pain too, Laki...he's been out all night. He hasn't slept for at least 36 hours. He's as scared as you are. He needs you to support him through this. You need to get through it together."

Laki knew what Lucy was saying was true. What she didn't know was whether she could let him into her shell. Nobody on Earthland could understand the despair she felt. She glanced again at her husband, hearing Lucy's words in her head, even though her friend stood beside, saying nothing more at all.

 _Rogue is going through it too. He feels every bit of the same pain you do...on top of lack of sleep and searching desperately. And they came up with nothing last night...how do you think he feels?_

Laki took a shaky step toward her sobbing husband. She reached a hand out, then paused, meeting Lucy's eyes. Lucy nodded encouragement to her. Laki took a small breath, then ran a hand through Rogue's hair before joining him on her knees. She placed both hands on the side of his face, forcing him to look at her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "for pushing you away and putting so much pressure on you. I know you're doing everything you can. It isn't your fault. Something...will happen."

She felt the tears rushing to her eyes, although she really didn't know how there could possibly be more.

"We'll find him," she promised, finishing the thought they both desperately hoped to be true.

Rogue's sobs got heavier as he crashed his head onto her chest. All the stress of the night seemed to have caught up to him as he finally landed in her arms. Lucy held Megumi to her chest, allowing Rogue and Laki their reconnecting moment. She wiped the tears from her own eyes, glancing up to a somber Evergreen and Alzack.

"Can we…talk to Aki and Sora?" Alzack asked Lucy.

Both Aki and Sora's eyes widened as Lucy slowly nodded, still feeling the emotion of the moment Laki and Rogue were having together. They could have their moment, but a full-scale investigation still continued. And the Dragneels needed to cooperate.

Evergreen ticked her head, motioning for the two to follow outside. Lark stood up too, the pain of his missing best friend and aunt-like figure slamming through his body once again.

"You don't need to come," Alzack said gently.

"Except I do," Lark protested, "I need to know too. Please."

Lucy nodded again. Evergreen and Alzack acknowledged her permission, then lead the three teenagers outside.

* * *

Mavis sat on the rooftop across from the building she suspected contained the Church of Alvarez members. She had used all of Heaven's resources to locate it, petitioning Angels from all over Earthland to report their knowledge on the underground church. Another Guardian of Magnolia had pinpointed the building for her. His ward had a friend that regularly attended meetings at the facility. Thankfully, he had managed to steer his ward away.

She narrowed her eyes, focusing so she could see through the walls into the building. There was no sign of captives, but she could sense heated images moving about the building. Heated images with dark auras.

"Only one way to find out," she prodded herself, hopping off the edge of the building.

Mavis held her head high as she walked through the front doors, completely aware they would all detect her. She had taken all barriers down, throwing out her Heavenly Aura like beacon to the beasts.

She wanted answers…and exposing herself was the best way to get them.

The front office revealed a red-haired secretary with glasses and a sharp, pointed nose. Two burly guards - one decidedly too tall to be human, the other too hairy - stood on either end of the doorway. They all froze as Mavis entered, her bright white Angelic garb leaving little to the imagination as she sashayed her way inside. Immediately, the secretary grabbed for her phone, the two guards closing in.

Mavis waved a hand, sending the demon-secretary careening back to the wall, whirling around to push back two approaching guards with an unseen energy even as they reached for her.

"I want to talk to the Bishop," she told them in an authoritative voice, "I guarantee to you, you are no match for me and I suggest that you take me to him immediately."

One of the guards reached for his radio. Mavis released a bolt of lightning-like energy, zapping it into oblivion.

"Who in the hell are you?" one of guards growled.

The other guard was backing away slowly, "She's…she's…"

"I'm the Daughter Angel," Mavis confirmed for him as she raised her arms above her wrist and made a slamming motion. The security guards were effectively contained inside a sphere of light.

She turned back to the secretary, her eyes gleaming.

"I _said_ I'd like to talk the to Bishop," she stated in a flat voice, "Take me to him immediately…please."

The secretary's eyes were wide. She was backed up against the wall behind the desk. She glanced at the phone on her desk again.

"Don't even think about it," Mavis warned, "You're a low-level demon and you won't manage to take your first step."

The secretary blinked, considering her options, then dove for the phone.

Mavis shook her head as she created a second sphere, caging the secretary in her spot.

"You don't mind if I find him for myself, do you?" she asked with her prettiest smile.

She spun on her heel, heading for the door on the other side of the room. Noting that it was locked, she slammed her energy into the lock, breaking the door into splinters and continued down the hallway, head held high.

As expected, the hallway was full of waiting demons. Each was humanoid, looking very much like they had when they were alive. Mavis wasted no time contemplating how they had managed to come to Earthland. They were all low-level, and she had no problem blasting her way through them, emitting every ability she'd learned over hundreds of years.

Ahead of her, a door was barricaded with demonic power, evident by the dark aura it emitted. She threw forth a pulse of energy, shattering the barrier, then proceeded to stomp through.

The Bishop waited for her there, sitting behind a desk, writing on a pad of paper as though he had no cares in the world.

"You're the Bishop, I presume," Mavis interrupted, coming to a stop in front of his desk.

He looked up through his bifocals, his blunt haircut framing his face, "And you are?"

"You know who I am," she said in a low voice, "And you know what I'm doing here."

He stood up, dwarfing her tiny frame as he stepped around the desk, "It's true then…you're the Daughter Angel. I was wondering when I might see you."

A dozen guards had gathered at the door, freezing as the Bishop held up his hand to halt them.

"Where are they?" Mavis demanded.

"They're…safe," the Bishop hummed, still looking her over, "Funny…I always thought the Daughter would be taller."

"What do you want?" she asked, maintaining her stare. She would not back down.

He chuckled, hardly intimidated at all, "An offering, of course! We were after the Son…but…"

He looked her up and down again, a crooked smile edging the corners of his mouth.

"…you'll do just fine."

"He's not the Son," Mavis denied, "As I'm sure both Cana and Daisuke – who are completely innocent in this – have already told your cronies. He has no power to offer you or Zeref."

"Really?" the Bishop laughed again.

"You've got the wrong child," Mavis told him flatly.

"Tell me…why did you unmask your presence?" The Bishop reached for a flask, pouring a generous amount of whatever liquid it was into a shot glass. He poured a second, immediately offering it to Mavis, who promptly shook her head.

"I'm making it known to you," Mavis stated, her voice full of venom, "Stay away from the Dragneels and their friends and return Daisuke and Cana immediately…or you will face the wrath of Heaven."

"He _is_ the Son then," the Bishop smiled fully now, staring directly into Mavis's eyes, "Or you wouldn't be protecting him personally."

Mavis shook her head, but redirected the conversation, "And what about the murders? Are you responsible for those too?"

This time, the Bishop's face showed a bit of surprise, "Murders?"

Mavis frowned, "You don't know about Samuel Zentopia?"

"A dangerous man, to be sure," the Bishop acknowledged, "But who did he kill? We haven't acquired his services for anything recently. Last I heard, he was still in jail."

Mavis paused to think. Maybe there wasn't a connection between the murders and the kidnapping? Could that mean there were two separate demon threats?

"Of course, we may require his services now that you have all but confirmed the Son's identity," the Bishop laughed again, "Really, Daughter Angel. I expected you to be smarter than that."

"You needn't second guess my intelligence," she told him flatly, "I think I understand completely what you're saying. And I'm telling you… _back off_ , or you will face the wrath of Heaven. If you know of your beloved Zeref's past, you know that you stand no chance. Stay away from the Dragneels and their friends – and return Daisuke Cheney and Cana Alberona to us immediately. You will not get a second warning."

"They're tucked away safely," the Bishop countered, "And they'll stay there until we get what we want. We need the Son. Turn him over and we'll let your friends go."

"That's not going to happen," Mavis growled.

"Then turn yourself over," the Bishop challenged.

"That's not happening either," she shot back, her intense stare increasing.

"Then I guess we're preparing for war," the Bishop grinned at her, but Mavis caught the bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.

"It's not too late," she told him, "You don't have to sell your soul to Zeref."

Their eyes met, defiance in the Bishop's eyes as he slowly raised from his desk.

"My soul was sold to him a long time ago," he said in a low voice, "And you will find the demons of Hell will put up one helluva fight, even against Heaven. The ceremony will be completed. With the sacrifice of the Son, the demons bound to Hell will rise…and the Heavenly Angels will fall. The Age of Zeref is nigh."

"No," Mavis told him, her facial expression filled with pity and sorrow for the man in front of her, "What will happen is total annihilation…with innocent people caught in the crossfire. Hell will be brought down, all of the souls there severed forever. And you're mistaken if you think Zeref will protect you. You are nothing but pawns. When he has no more use for you, he'll cast you aside. Are you so willing to give up your existence?"

The Bishop shook slightly, his face slowly draining of colour.

"It has to happen," he stated, his voice quivering slightly, "The Son will be sacrificed to resurrect the Father."

She nodded slowly, "Then you've made your decision and accept all the consequences that will come with it. Goodbye Bishop. May Heaven have mercy on your soul."

She snapped her fingers then, disappearing completely from his sight. The guards used the opportunity to pour into the room, checking the Bishop's condition and scouring the entire building for her whereabouts.

"She's gone," the Bishop told them, "I can't feel her presence anymore. I'm fine. Stop fawning over me and get out. I need to think."

A few of the guards stepped back, bowing to him as they backed out of the room over the broken door. The Bishop frowned, pouring himself a drink from the mickey he kept in the top drawer of his desk. He sealed the door with another magic barrier. If for no other reason, it would keep the guards' curious gazes to themselves. They would not see or hear the conversation he was about to have. He glanced toward the door to be absolutely sure that no one would interrupt him, then reached into the middle drawer, withdrawing a mirror.

"Your eminence," he said as an image appeared in the mirror. It was that of an old man. His face was wrinkled. His long gray hair reached to his shoulders, a matching long gray beard on his face, "It's him. I just had a visit from the Daughter Angel."

"Interesting," the old man cackled, "So she protects him herself, does she? Mobilize the Church. There needs to be more pressure."

"The prisoners…Hughes reports to me they're tight-lipped," the Bishop reported, "He is going to the teenage girls, Aki and Sora, for more information. By all accounts, the Son has no power of his own."

"Good," the old man said, "Emperor Zeref will be pleased. Capture the Son. I don't care what happens to the human buzzards he's with."

"She warned me," the Bishop told him, "She will bring down the wrath of Heaven if we make any moves on them."

"I don't care. You'll deal with them," the old man said in a low voice, "Bring him to your location. The boy must be sacrificed. Once that happens, the demons of Hell will join you in suppressing any threat from Heaven as soon as we're free to walk Earthland again. Just _get the boy_."

Nodding, the Bishop placed the mirror back into the drawer, then poured himself another drink, sinking back into his chair to contemplate his next plan.

From the darkest shadows of the room, Mavis gulped back the lump in her throat, then _transported._ She needed to get to Lark.

* * *

Gray and Lyon tag-teamed, attacking from either side of Ur as they progressed up the ice fortress. Ur was having fun dodging so that one's attacks would hit the other. They were 'getting it' though. After the first…40 times…both finally figured out that Ur was pitting them against each other. The only way they had a remote chance of beating her was to work together.

She whirled around, directing an ice beam at Gray's head, then burst forward. Lyon shot off an ice attack of his own, causing a herd of ram to intercept Ur's attack as Gray continued to pursue her.

"ICE MAKE: ICE CANNON!" he yelled, reaching behind his back. His faith in his own abilities was increasing and he knew the cannon would be there, ready for him. He shot it off three times at Ur as she approached the top of the ice mountain. She turned, grinning dangerously at both her pupils.

"Just over this ridge," she told them, "is where I'll make my final stand. Be ready. I'm not making this easy for you."

"No shit," Lyon muttered under his breath. He glanced at Gray, nodding as the other man split off to change his advance point. He wiped at a cut above his eye, flicking the blood to the ground before making eye contact with Gray.

"You go first," Gray mouthed, "I'll come right after."

Lyon nodded, charging up the bank amongst a herd of buffalo. Gray took a deep breath, listening to the yells and screams at the top of the cliff. He was pretty sure Lyon had surprised Ur. He gathered his strength – which was definitely waning, just as Mavis had warned – and created a crossbow out of his ice.

As he suspected, Lyon had Ur's attention focused on him and the stampede of buffalo. Ur laughed out loud as she shattered Lyon's miniature army of bison to smithereens with a simple twitch of her finger. But she didn't see Gray until he was right beside her. He attacked, using an ice sword. She met him blow for blow with her bare arms.

"Not bad, boys," she called out, "You figured out that I'm better with long range attacks and found a way to get closer to me."

She raised her arms, covering both Gray and Lyon with an ice sphere and ending the battle in a split second. Once the landscape stilled of Lyon's creatures, she snapped her fingers, shattering both ice barriers.

"We're out of time," she told them, "but I'm proud. You'll hold your own if you're forced into a fight as long as you work together."

Snapping her fingers again, the entire terrain altered. They were no longer in an ice field, but at the edge of a grassy plain.

"We'll work here until the others join us," Ur announced, "You will pass through the door together."

Both Gray and Lyon collapsed with relief, their chests heaving with their exhaustion. Ur let out another laugh.

"Oh boys…" she shook her head, standing between them with a cocky grin, "I didn't say anything about taking a break!"

Gray's eyes widened as he realized Ur's fists were glowing. He exchanged a glance with Lyon, both rolling to get out of the way as Ur released her next attack.

* * *

"You need a break?" Metalicana asked Gajeel as he brought down an entire cliff overtop of Gajeel's head.

Gajeel formed a barrier out of his arms, like a canopy. The rocks bounced harmlessly off it, landing around him on the ground.

"Hell no!" Gajeel yelled back, "I've never had the opportunity to fight a dragon. Sure as hell ain't backin' off now!"

Metalicana laughed, "Maybe you're not completely stupid after all!"

The massive dragon flapped his wings at a rapid rate, sending shards of metal toward Gajeel. Gajeel went to dodge, but one of the projectile metal fragments sliced into his bicep, making him cry out. He charged after the dragon, reaching the top of the mountainside.

"Iron Angel's Lance!" Gajeel called out. Both of his arms extended 30 feet out, transforming into long, jagged lances. He attempted to spear Metalicana. Metalicana dodged, whapping Gajeel in the back with his tail.

"You're getting too hot!" Metalicana cackled, as he whirled around, dive-bombing toward his pupil, "I think it's time for you to cool off a bit."

Gajeel, still disoriented from the last attack, felt the impact of the dragon's body plunging into his own. He was sent careening backward, Metalicana picking up his body in mid-air in his vice-like talons.

The next thing he knew, he was falling. Metalicana had let him go, laughing as Gajeel careened toward the water of the lake below.

* * *

Juvia discovered that using her water-locks in water form was highly effective in staving off multiple opponents at once. The mermaid attacked her head-on emptying her jug to make a tidal wave. She could barely keep her wits about her as she flailed backward with the sudden rip tide Aquarius had created, narrowly missing the jaws of a great white shark that got caught in the tide too.

"C'mon Juvia Lockser!" Aquarius yelled, "You want to save Gray, don't you?"

"That was nothing but a doll!" Juvia shouted, "I'm starting to think you're seriously trying to kill me!"

"Demons will not back off when they're attacking!" Aquarius told her angrily, "If anything, I'm going _easy_ on you!"

Juvia had righted herself, pausing to take in her surroundings when she saw the careening figure slam into the water. A large dark figure plunged into the water after it.

"That's an Angel!" she realized with alarm, already barreling toward the first figure. She whacked an approaching squid out of the way, now determined to find out what had entered the water. With horror, she realized the larger shape was gaining on the first object.

She was exhausted. Aquarius hadn't let up on her training for hours, but she knew she had to get to the figure immediately. Mustering every ounce of strength she had, she propelled herself forward, grabbing the Angel by the waist and barrelling for the next ravine. She had noticed earlier that it was filled with coral…and that would be a good hiding place if she needed it.

Ducking underneath the nearest piece, she looked down.

"Gajeel!" she exclaimed, "Are you okay?"

He stirred as she examined him for injuries. The number one priority was that he'd need oxygen. Gajeel did _not_ have the ability to breathe water. She glanced anxiously, trying to find a pocket of oxygen under the corals. There was none.

It was then that yet another object landed beside them. Juvia recognized Levy right away as she too struggled with the lack of air. She scripted A-I-R above her head, gasping as an oxygen bubble appeared over her head.

"Gajeel too!" Juvia yelled.

Levy nodded, swimming over to Gajeel. He was turning colour from the lack of oxygen. Taking a deep breath, she breathed into his mouth before scripting A-I-R for him as well.

He choked, his lungs filling with the life-giving substance.

"Are you okay?" Levy shook his body.

"I'm fine," he groaned, noting that he'd been provided with an oxygen tank, "That metal bastard got the drop on me."

"Well, it's good that you're fine," Juvia said, releasing him, "Because that metal bastard and about 6,000 very large, angry fish are circling overhead…we have nowhere to run now. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted."

He grinned, "Then let's go fishing together…like we did when we were kids."

Juvia returned his smile, "It's been awhile since we've been fishing together."

Levy glanced up, ignoring the sibling-banter, "There's so many!"

"We'll be fine," Juvia assured her, "Gajeel and I used to fish for the big ones back in the day…we're practically experts!"

Levy nodded, standing up under the coral so she could observe the vast army above, "Let's do this."

"We need a plan. What abilities did you learn?" Gajeel asked as he stood as well.

"I can whip up a current that will buy us some time," Juvia told him, "And I'm getting pretty good at water-lock."

"I can script some nets," Levy offered.

"Okay then…change of plans," Gajeel suggested, "Let's go fishing and throw a bit of baseball in there too. You whip up the current, Levy start casting nets…and I'll start batting."

His arms transformed into clubs with spikes on them. The ladies smiled, then nodded as Juvia raised her arms above her head.

Aquarius and Metalicana floated together in the water, watching to see how their students would handle being completely surrounded.

"They've just about got it," Metalicana yelled to Aquarius, "Let's see if they can work together."

"We're out of time," Aquarius called back, "If they're going to defeat us, they need to do it now."

Both Metalicana and Aquarius grinned as Rufus waved, wearing a wet suit. They barely saw the coordinated attack coming, all blasted back by the sudden surge of water. The next thing they knew, fish began barreling past them. Some were water-locked, some netted, and others just careening past at alarming rates.

"Well, would you look at that!" Rufus exclaimed, a proud grin on his face, "Looks like they know how to work together after all!"

Levy, Gajeel and Juvia surrounded their teachers, ready to attack. The fish had all but cleared out.

"Well done," Metalicana congratulated them, "But we're out of time…we need to meet the others now."

Gajeel, Levy and Juvia exchanged glances, lowering their attacking stances as the three teachers gestured for them to follow.

* * *

Erza had officially tried every armour imaginable, having gained a good understanding of each sets' individual properties. Time after time, she and Mira went head-to-head. Sometimes Erza won, other times, Mira laid her out flat. In addition to the new armour, she had realized she had immense strength and that she was quick. She had practiced her swordsmanship all the way throughout her childhood in various martial art classes and the skills came back to her quickly.

Both Erza and Mira were panting as they crashed to the ground once more. Mira's demon form melted away, bringing her back to her Angelic appearance.

"We're pretty even," Erza told her, "Thanks for taking the time to teach me."

Mira smiled, "It's been a pleasure…and it's gotten me back into the groove as well."

"Are we done, then?" Erza asked.

Both were lying on their backs, simply enjoying the brief break.

"We actually have one more stop," Mira told her, sitting up.

"One more stop?" Erza queried.

Mira nodded as the landscape melted away, transforming to a beautiful garden. Ahead of them, they could hear grunts and cries of pain. Alarm flitted on Erza's face before she charged ahead. Mira smiled to herself, then followed.

"What in the…" Erza said under her breath.

A large panther-like humanoid was pacing back and forth on a plank suspended in mid-air, a line of Exceeds on either side of him. They were all groaning in pain as their wings fluttered rapidly to hold the weight of the giant panther on the board, one Exceed in each corner. The weight shifted on the board as the panther walked it, straining the Exceeds' hold.

"Ah!" Pantherlily waved as Mira and Erza came into view, "You made it! That must mean we're almost out of time!"

All four Exceeds let go of the ropes they used to suspend the plank in the air. Pantherlily stepped off the plank nonchalantly. The Exceeds collapsed to the ground, panting hard. Happy crawled over beside Carla. Lector and Frosch were sweating buckets. After a brief moment, they plunged into the small pond beside them, relishing in the cool water. Happy and Carla exchanged glances before scrambling to join them.

They let out a collective sigh of complete satisfaction.

"How went the training?" Pantherlily asked.

Mira nodded, "I think we're good. Are you coming back to Earthland with us?"

He nodded, "I have been commissioned to aid, yes."

"And them?" Erza asked, gesturing toward Frosch and Lector.

"We have all been assigned to different wards," Pantherlily informed them, "Happy and Carla will return to protect the Dragneel children, I will look after Gajeel, Levy, and their daughter, Frosch will keep an eye on Rogue's family, and Lector will watch Sting's."

"What's a Sting?" Lector called out, "Sounds like some sort of bee or something!"

"Frosch thinks so too!"

"They are your human wards," Pantherlily told them, "And you must protect them at all costs."

"Shall we begin the final test then?" Mira asked him.

Pantherlily nodded, getting into attack stance.

"What?" Erza asked, confused.

"Pantherlily is your final task," Mira told her, "The Exceeds will be there to aid the Angels any way they can. You will be on the front lines if anything happens. So…battle him."

Erza glanced the panther's body up and down. He exceeded her height by a good foot and a half. There was a crescent scar over one eye and he wore pants on his lower half. His fur was glazed with sweat, revealing thick muscles on his torso and arms.

He brandished his huge sword, easily four times his height, making Erza smile.

"A new challenge," she said, requipping into her Wingblade armour, "I accept."

"Very well, then," he began to circle her, eyeing the new armour, "Please proceed when you're ready."

"That's a nice piece," she commented, admiring the sword.

"This is Musica," he told her proudly, "I acquired it in war many years ago. It's quite effective I must say…perhaps afterward you'd like to take a closer look…"

"I would!" she agreed, "Is it terribly heavy?"

He shook his head, "Not at all – it's –"

She attacked, circling her blades around him with a wave of her arms. He fended them off immediately, launching himself at her. Her wings surrounded her, breaking his attack as she launched her swords at him. He ducked under the attack, whirling to face her, a broad grin on his face. Their swords clashed as they came to a standstill, facing each other.

"You're good!" he complimented, "You've studied Kendo."

"I have," Erza confirmed, "Amongst other things. And you?"

"Just raw experience," he told her, "I've seen a few battles in my day."

Carla's eyes had turned to hearts as she stared at him, still sitting in the pool with the other Exceeds. Happy harrumphed, crossing his arms grumpily.

Erza cried out as she charged again, requipping to Clear Heart Clothing. Their swords met again, the sound of scraping metal screeching into the Exceeds ears. They covered them, cringing slightly.

"You have no shield in this form," Pantherlily yelled as he released a barrage of slashes, "Are you sure this was the best choice?"

"I am curious to know how you stand up as a swordsman!" she called back, whirling in a circle to avoid his blade. She lunged, narrowly missing his left arm.

"His muscles aren't _that_ big," Happy muttered, curling his own arm. He sighed when the bicep didn't bulge. Carla hadn't even noticed. She was too focused on the fight in front of them.

The clang of steel had both Angels parrying, then deflecting. Mira sat down on the grass beside the pool, smiling as Lector and Frosch got out of the pool to sit beside her. Frosch crawled onto her lap, oblivious to the fact that his wet frog costume was soaking her. She giggled, patting him on the head.

Erza swiped underneath Pantherlily's feet as he jumped, bringing his sword down toward her head. She jumped backward, landing in a rose bush. Lunging forward, she met his sword, pushing him backward. His feet dragged on the ground as she pushed, leaving tracks in the ground.

He pushed back, their arms interlocked as they both balanced their swords. It seemed they were no longer testing each others' sword skills, but rather their raw strength…and Erza was holding her own. She glanced up, noting the position of his sword. With a burst of energy, she brought the butt of her sword down onto his head. He crumpled, staggering to his feet immediately. A smile crossed his face as he bowed to her.

"We will need to finish this spar another time," he apologized, "We need to get to the rendezvous point…and my Exceeds need to finish their final task."

She held out her hand, helping him to his feet, "I will take you up on that anytime…Pantherlily."

"Wait!" Happy exclaimed, "We're not done yet?"

Pantherlily maintained his grin as he gestured to two planks on the ground beside them, "We're going to the rendezvous point now…and _you're_ our transportation!"

* * *

The view from Grandeeney's back was unbelievable, especially to an Angel who had spent most of her existence traveling Earthland with Crime Sorciere. She rarely had time to take in the raw beauty of her surroundings.

Grandeeney flew low to the ground, giving Wendy a lovely view of the lavender fields below them. A picturesque lake lay to the left and there was a winding river leading from it to a chain of other lakes in the distance.

"Breathe it in, Child," Grandeeney told her, "Put the energy from the air around you. Feel it course through your veins. The wind and the air are your allies."

They'd just spent what seemed like hours practising her energy beam. Once she realized the same energy that gave her Changeover abilities also gave her Sky Angel abilities, things came to her quickly. She had successfully learned how to expel multiple rapid-fire energy beams…and it shocked her just how much damage she could do in such a short time. On top of that, she'd mastered cyclones and propelling herself upward several hundred metres with controlled descension to the ground, using the wind as her guiding force.

Now Grandeeney was asking her to meditate, soaking in the energy that surrounded her in the air. She closed her eyes, reveling in the peaceful feeling the air seemed to almost extend to her willingly.

"Where are we going, Grandmother?" Wendy asked as Grandeeney made a sharp turn.

"It's time to join the others," Grandeeney called back, "They too have completed their training. It's time to return to Magnolia for your slumber."

Wendy's eyes widened as they approached their landing site. Juvia , Levy and Gajeel were trapped in a water sphere, all of them fending off sea creatures. A mermaid, a man in a scuba outfit, and a metal dragon stood together just outside of the sphere, talking casually. Gray and a white-haired man she didn't know were tag teaming as they darted through the grassy plains after a blur. Wendy tried to focus, realizing it was a woman they were chasing. She threw attack after attack at the two of them. Wendy noticed how Gray and the white-haired man worked together, blocking each attack as they pursued her. The three Angels coordinated their attacks inside the water sphere, defeating the water creatures post-haste.

Grandeeney circled a nearby clearing, then landed in the centre of it, releasing a long, whistle-like noise from the pit of her belly. The vibration of it tickled Wendy.

"You can get down, Child," Grandeeney told her. She lowered her wing to the ground for Wendy to use.

Obediently, Wendy hopped down Grandeeney's massive wing, still glancing between her friends for any signs of acknowledgment.

The water sphere burst, soaking the ground as Gajeel, Levy, and Juvia tumbled. They stood up, realizing Wendy was right next to them. The grassy plains dissipated as well, throwing Gray and the stranger to the ground as the terrain altered, revealing a cloudy vastness as far as the eye could see. Levy hooked her arm through Gajeel's, glancing around at the gathering crowd.

Above them, the Exceeds – Happy and Frosch on one side, Carla and Lector on the other – lowered a plank containing Mira, Pantherlily, and Erza. All four collapsed to the ground as soon as they hit it, their wings disappearing.

In fact, as Grandeeney surveyed the crowd, she realized they were _all_ exhausted. The teachers had performed their jobs admirably.

"You've all done very well," Grandeeney told them, "And while there's so much more to teach you, we haven't any more time."

"Who's your friend?" Gajeel asked Gray.

"He's no friend of mine…" Gray started to grumble, but he caught the warning glare on Ur's face before could finish the sentence.

Juvia's face went white as she realized who the stranger was, taking in a sharp breath.

"I'm his brother," Lyon volunteered, "My name is Lyon…and I think I've been recruited to help you with whatever we're training for."

Lyon looked Juvia up and down, smiling.

"You look good, Juvia."

She blushed as Gray put his arm around her protectively, coming between Juvia and Lyon.

"Do not lose sight of the end goal. You cannot take your places in the stars if you have underlying animosity between you," Ur warned both Gray and Lyon again, "You've learned to make your peace with each other…and you must work together during the events that will unfold in the near future on Earthland. Your petty jealousy needs to dissipate."

Ur fell silent as Grandeeney ushered the group together.

"We don't know what threats you'll face," she told them, pacing back and forth in front of them, "Be assured, we as instructors are not done our tasks. We will be training other Angel forces. The threat is real…and we need to be ready. You are in the forefront…the protectors of Magnolia. If the time comes, you will be each others' greatest allies. Learn to work together…learn to rely on each other. And the love of Heaven will see our victory."

A golden gleam blinded the group momentarily, revealing a door.

"It's time," Mira told them, "You'll appear back in Gajeel and Levy's house. You'll need to sleep, partly because of the exhaustion from training…partly because Mavis will ensure everything you've learned will be ingrained into you."

"Protect them," Metalicana ordered gruffly, "You have your assignments…no harm must come to them. If a war starts, it will be on you to keep your human wards safe."

"No pressure," Gajeel muttered under his breath.

Metalicana shot him a glare.

Aquarius appeared from the remains of the water sphere, crossing her arms, "The next group is on its' way. No rest for us."

Mira nodded, "Let's go."

"Thank you," Wendy hugged Grandeeney's large muzzle, "We won't disappoint you."

"No," Grandeeney said quietly as Mira lead the Angels, Exceeds, and Pantherlily through the door, "I don't expect you will."

* * *

Lark slammed the door to his room, collapsing on the bed as he punched the pillow. The conversation between Alzack, Evergreen, and the teens had been a dead end. Sora and Aki couldn't give any advice on how to find Toby and Yuka. The officers had left, on their way to rejoin Natsu's crew who were going to search the alleged house of Toby and Yuka for more clues. Rogue had stayed behind on Alzack's insistence that he needed to be with his family. He was sleeping peacefully now in Laki's arms. The whole pissed him off more and more...there was no progress.

"Wendy!" he cried out, his frustration shaking his voice, "You promised! Please tell me the Angels are investigating! Tell me you know where Daisuke and Cana are!"

He waited, hitting the pillow again when he received no answer…not that he'd expected one.

There was a glow out of his peripheral vision. He turned, his eyes widening as he realized the blonde Angel stood in front of him...the one who had mesmerized him before. Her eyes were clouded to the point that he couldn't read them. She was _different_ than the other Angels…but he didn't know why.

"Hello, Larcade," she said softly.

His mouth gaped open as he froze, revelling in her beauty…there was something so _familiar_ about her.

"My name is Mavis," she offered, realizing he was having trouble spitting words out of his mouth. Her eyes had tears threatening to spill out, "And I've waited for so long to talk to you like this…"

"I-I don't understand," he sputtered out finally, "Who are you?"

She came forward, reaching for his bandaged arm, "You don't need this bandage anymore."

He leaned back, allowing her to unravel the bandage. Her hand glowed as she ran her finger down the cast, effectively cutting it in two as she repeated the gesture on the other side. She removed it gently, stepping back as he stretched the muscles in his arm, opening and closing his fist several times.

She removed the bandage on his forehead. He watched her every move, eyes wide. She had a gentle demeanor. Lark couldn't explain why he felt so drawn to her.

"I don't understand," he repeated.

She sat down on the bed beside him, smoothing back his bangs as she regarded his face.

"You don't remember me," she told him sadly, "But I hope we'll have the chance to get to know each other again."

"Are you an Angel?" he asked.

She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his.

"Yes," she told him softly, "I'm an Angel…"

He felt his arms move on their own, encircling her tiny body for a hug. The pull was stronger. His confusion expanded as he felt tears come to his own eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked again, "Why do I feel like I've missed you so much when I don't even know who you are?"

She pulled back, looking deep into his eyes.

"There's no easy way to say this," Mavis stroked his blonde hair out of his eyes, noting how nicely the wound had cleaned itself up. A criss-cross scar would remain, but otherwise, he had been healed completely, "You missed me because you love me, Larcade."

He shook his head, clearly still confused.

"And you love me..." she said softly, "...because I'm your mother."


	24. Chapter 24

"My…mother?" Lark asked slowly, gazing into Mavis's eyes, "How…?"

Mavis took a moment to cast a quick incantation over the room to make it soundproof. She wanted a few uninterrupted moments with him. Knowing there were a lot of people in the room next door and more patrolling the perimeter of the property, she couldn't risk being seen. As it was, she had already enchanted the area to mask her presence.

"It's true, Larcade," Mavis told him, grabbing both his hands, "I have a lot to tell you…but first, I really want to look at you."

She stood up, eyeing him up and down. He still wore no shirt since he'd been sporting the bandaged and casted arm all summer. He was well-developed. Mavis smiled, reminiscing about how Zeref had a similar chest. His blonde locks were all her…his facial features also all her, save for his dark eyes. He wore black jeans, secured by a belt, but his feet were bare. He stood a good foot and a half taller than her.

She let out a satisfied sigh, "You're so grown up…so handsome."

"I still don't understand," Lark told her after shooting her another dubious glance, "You said you're an Angel…did you die when I was young?"

She shook her head, leading him to sit on the bed.

"I've always been an Angel," she told him gently, "In fact...I'm the Daughter Angel."

Lark's eyes widened in horror, "As in the daughter of...But that means I'm…"

Lark had researched Angels off and on for most of his life...for obvious reasons. The local churches believed that Ankhseram had a daughter. She had been Heaven born and rarely made trips to Earthland, similar to her father. The people didn't worship her like they worshipped her father, but they did pray to her for protection and paid their respects to her in the form of doing good deeds and whatnot. The Father was believed to be all-knowing and all-giving. There had never been any mention that the Daughter had a son...how could that be true? She was Heaven-born. She wouldn't be permitted to settle with just anybody. Could Angels even _have_ relationships?

Any way he looked at it...if Mavis was Heaven-born, then he must be...

She nodded, allowing him a moment to absorb the revelation, "You're an Angel too, Larcade. And that's why you can see other Angels."

He shook his head, backing away from her slightly, "No…it's not possible…"

"It's the truth," she told him.

He didn't question whether she was his mother or not. Somehow, _he knew._ Confusion circled his head as her words sunk in.

"I'm dead?" he remarked incredulously, "How can I be dead?"

"You're not dead," she denied, reaching for his hands again.

He jerked them away, backing off the bed to the corner of his room, "Then what the hell am I?"

"You're born of Heaven too," she told him, frowning slightly as she realized she may be lying to him slightly, "Or rather, you're born of the Heavenly realm."

"Then why am I _here?"_ Lark demanded, gesturing around his bedroom, "If I'm your son and we're both Angels, what the hell am I doing _here_?"

His eyes clouded over as he hung his head, the scenarios jamming through his brain. His head hurt. This was a HUGE revelation...and not one that he could comprehend easily.

"You didn't want me," he said in a low voice, "You sent me here because you didn't want me."

"That's not true!" Mavis denied adamantly, " _I love you more than I love myself!_ I brought you to Earthland when you were just over a year old to protect you!"

"From what?!" Lark yelled, "What could you possibly need to protect an Angel from?"

Mavis frowned. The conversation wasn't going the way she'd hoped it would. She needed to tell him about the imminent threat against his life…but she'd been hoping to ease into it.

"From your father," she said finally, her eyes dropping to her bare feet.

"My father?" Lark repeated, smacking his own forehead, "Of _course!_ I suppose if you're the Daughter Angel, then he's probably the devil! Am I right? Because that would totally make sense right about now!"

He glanced at her, stilling at the expression on her face.

"Oh gawd," he whispered, "I'm the devil's son."

She nodded slowly, her words failing her for the first time that she could remember. She always knew what to say or do. It was like she just knew naturally how to handle situations...but not this. The pain in Lark's eyes struck a chord in her, almost like she could feel his vast array of emotions.

"Did he orchestrate the attacks on our house and Daisuke and Cana?" Lark demanded. He held his head between his hands, pacing back and forth as he tried to absorb the new information.

She nodded again, "Indirectly. He's using a Church to do his dirty work. He's trapped in Hell, bonded there by a curse put on him by my father…your Grandfather…Ankhseram. He can't leave Hell."

Lark was shaking as he rejoined her on the bed, "Mavis…what does he want with me?"

Pain twanged in her gut, missing how he used to call her Mumma in his baby years. She supposed it was only natural for him to call her Mavis now. She hadn't raised him. She hadn't nurtured him. Either that, or he was simply using her name in vain.

"I'm still piecing together the story," Mavis told him honestly, "I believe the Church is after you because Zer…your father wants you back. There's something in your abilities that can release the gates of Hell."

"I don't have any abilities," he denied adamantly, "I'm just like every other human except I can see Angels…that's the extent of my abilities."

She shook her head again, begging him with her eyes to understand, "That's not your only ability. They simply lay dormant inside you."

He stared at her, his facial expressions crossed between confusion, anger, and denial, "Why? Why now? Why couldn't you all just leave me alone? Did you always know where I was?"

She nodded, "I knew. And I understand your anxiety. But demons…they can detect my presence. I've stayed away to protect you. Please Larcade…please understand…I was only trying to protect you."

"Why is _he_ suddenly interested in me now?" Lark asked.

"Because I think your dormant powers are coming to surface," Mavis answered softly, "You're becoming an adult. The change from child to man has awoken your Aura."

"My _what?"_ he asked incredulously.

He stared at her, searching her face for any signs of…he didn't even know what he was looking for.

"Your Aura," she repeated, "Your glow…the essence of your soul."

"Yeah…I know what Aura is, thanks…my Aunt is clairvoyant! Gotta say this is the first time I've been told _I_ have Aura though," he snapped, "What I don't get is how my Aura can 'wake up' just because I'm done growing up. 'Scuse me if I find it hard to believe."

"Your Aura _has_ changed," Mavis said sadly, "I can see it too. They've been tracking you for months."

Lark suppressed an exasperated scream. If any of what she was telling him was true, everything in his world had completely altered forever. Furthermore, if his father - the devil - was coming after him, everyone he loved...

"It's my fault," he whispered, "Daisuke and Cana were kidnapped…because I'm the son of both an Angel and the devil and I give off some weird Aura that marks me."

He shook his head as he contemplated this thought.

"It's _impossible!"_ he yelled, throwing his arms above his head as he began to pace the room again, "I don't believe it!"

"It's true," Mavis interjected quickly, "Larcade, I didn't want to tell you this way! I wanted to get to know you first, but until Daisuke and Cana are found, you are all in imminent danger! Natsu and Lucy! Your siblings! Your friends! But _you especially_! Once Cana and Daisuke are found, I'm taking you away and I'll hide you! You can learn to mask your presence like I do! Your father won't be able to find you!"

He turned, glaring at her with dark eyes, "I'm not going anywhere with you. What _about_ my friends? What _about_ my...family? Natsu and Lucy raised me...I have siblings. I can't just disappear."

She hung her head, letting out a sigh of frustration, "You _have_ to come with me…or _he will find you."_

Lark reeled back, the words reverberating through his head sharply. He'd thought the same words over and over in his nightmares.

 _He's coming for me._

 _He won't stop until he finds me._

"My nightmares…it's him calling out to me?"

She nodded, noting the colour draining from his face. She had never felt such strong pain before. His expression was one of complete desolation. Everything he knew about himself and his existence had just been blown to smithereens…and _she'd_ caused this pain. She wanted to take it from him. She wanted to bare it for him so that he could go back to being sweet, funny, lovable 'Lark'.

This, she realized, is what it means to be a mother. She had shut her emotions off for so long, unable to deal with the possibility of being hurt again. The fact that her child was hurting and there was nothing she could do to ease his pain made her feel an anguish she didn't know it was possible to feel.

"Larcade…I have much to talk to you about," she said softly, "Please…will you listen to me?"

Lark wasn't sure how to react anymore. His emotions took turns battering him - confusion, hatred, sadness. He looked into her eyes, noting the sadness there.

"I can help you through this," she half-begged, "I can answer your questions."

Slowly he nodded.

"Start with where I came from please," he suggested.

She nodded again, patting the box spring beside her.

Lark hesitated. He wasn't sure how to accept anything she said... yet she was so _familiar._ The expression on her face told him she was struggling with how to talk to him too.

He sat on the other end of the bed, ensuring a good few feet between them as he settled on the box spring.

* * *

Natsu was overseeing a crew of officers, now dismantling the rat-infested hellhole of a house that supposedly belonged to Toby and Yuka. They had already combed the entire property outside, accepting that they would not find anymore clues out there. Now, everyone wore gloves and aprons. They were gutting the house of its contents, searching through every last hoarded item for clues. Everything removed from the house was put into cardboard boxes to be destroyed at the dump later since practically nothing was worth keeping. Old report cards and letters from school had been found, confirming that Toby and Yuka had dwelled in the house in the past at some point, although there was no evidence of them being there currently…other than the unmoldy food on the kitchen counter.

Large containment units had been brought onto the property to store the disgusting mess. Natsu was working in one of the bedroom. His fatigue had caught up to him more than once, but it would go away after awhile, a new burst of energy overtaking him as he made progress in the room.

"So gross," Evergreen commented as she entered the house, Alzack behind her. He nodded his agreement, leaning back against the counter so that Nab could take another box out the door.

"Did you find anything?" Alzack asked.

Bacchus and another officer were picking up an old couch, ripped in so many places, it wasn't even possible to sit down on it anymore.

"Bits and pieces," Bacchus told him, "We've found old report cards, so we know they've lived here at some point in time…but there's nothing indicating any recent activity…and no clues pointing us in the right direction toward Cana and Daisuke's location."

Gildarts stepped aside to let Bacchus and the other officer carry the couch outdoors. He scanned the emptying living room, his eyes landing on a surface buried beneath junk.

"That's a filing cabinet," he said under his breath, "We need to unbury that."

Natsu emerged from the bedroom, his sharp hearing picking up on the comment. He nodded to Bacchus, both of them heaving the junk from off the top of the cabinet onto the floor.

"Hey!" a female officer shouted as some of the debris hit her.

Neither Natsu nor Gildarts even heard her, focusing in on the now-exposed cabinet.

"It's locked," Natsu observed.

"As if that's going to stop me," Gildarts snorted, reaching for his gun.

"You can't shoot it!" Macao exclaimed.

Both Natsu and Gildarts turned, eyeing the older cop.

"Oh shit - THEY'RE GONNA SHOOT IT! Everyone out!" Macao yelled. He stilled, noting the seriousness in both Natsu and Gildarts' eyes, "There's so much crap in this house, the ricochet is gonna hit someone! Out!"

Natsu and Gildarts waited until the house was empty, then stood back as Gildarts took aim. Suddenly Natsu realized he was in prime ricochet zone. His eyes darted around the room, looking for somewhere _not_ completely disgusting to dive to as Gildarts slowly squeezed the trigger.

Gildarts took the lock in the first shot, just as Natsu screeched and dove to the ground, covering his head. In the kitchen, he could hear a dozen cop bodies hitting the floor, all of them releasing embarrassing screeches similar to that of Natsu's. Sure enough, the ricochet of the bullet shot above him and Gildarts, hitting the roof. Large pieces of ceiling landed all over Natsu's back. Both men coughed as the dust brought down from the roof filled the room.

As the debris began to settle, curious cop eyes, eyeballs as big as golfballs, peered around the corners of the kitchen walls. No one dared to move at first. Natsu managed to clear his lungs, glancing over to Gildarts to confirm that he was alright.

Gildarts was more than alright. He was grinning like a mad-man...

"Are you dead in there?" Macao's voice called out, "Just yell if you're dead...I'll call an ambulance!"

Natsu realized he was shaking as he slowly stood up, brushing the debris off his body.

"We're fine!" Gildarts called back to the kitchen.

Grumblings of the cops in the kitchen ensued as they carefully peered around the corner, then resumed their previous tasks.

"Fuck, man! You're lethal!" he exclaimed.

Gildarts smirked, kneeling at the cabinet to open the drawer, "Didn't you know, kid? In my prime, I was called 'Gildarts the Destroyer'. I might wreck things...but I never miss my mark."

Natsu shook the anxiety from his near-death experience off, breathing heavy with anticipation as Gildarts opened the upper drawer.

"Shitloads of documents," Gildarts said under his breath, "From Magnolia orphanage."

"That's the orphanage Lark and the twins came from," Natsu replied, grabbing some documents of his own to read, "Says here Toby Horhorta was in that orphanage for almost 12 years."

Gildarts nodded, scanning through more documents as Natsu tossed his aside, reaching for another handful.

"Bad students," Gildarts commented.

"These are incident reports," Natsu agreed, "Written up in classes…they've both been suspended multiple times."

"Natsu…" Gildarts' voice trailed off as he stood, staring at a document, then back at Natsu.

"What is it?"

Gildarts handed the file folder he held, his face draining of colour.

With a shaky hand, Natsu opened the file folder, stiffening as his eyes drifted straight to a picture of Larcade. Beside it was a picture of the twins and Aki…Sora…Aimi…Haru…Daisuke…

"What the hell is this?" Natsu asked, flipping to the next page. Behind the page of pictures was a brochure for the Church of Alvarez.

"Do we have a Church of Alvarez in Magnolia?" Gildarts asked.

Natsu nodded slowly, "They're low-key…don't call attention to themselves…but yes. I booked a guy last month that cited the Church as his denomination."

Both Gildarts and Natsu stood up, noting the re-entering officers' glances.

"This cabinet needs to be emptied and scanned," Natsu told Macao on the way out the door behind Gildarts, "We'll be back. Let us know if you find anything at all!"

Macao watched them go, turning back to the horrendous mess with a sigh.

"Yup…okay! You go!" he groaned, getting down on his knees in front of the cabinet, "I'll take on that cabinet myself."

"Better yet," Gildarts interjected, popping his head back inside the door, "Take it to Fairy Tail. Tell them they're hired to scan each document for clues."

Macao's face brightened at the prospect of not having to go through the house anymore. His nose was burning from the various stenches.

"Jerk," Alzack muttered as he picked up an old foamy. He cringed, turning his nose in disgust. Obviously, they'd had a cat there at some point. It was covered in urine, based on the stench, "You _would_ find a way to get out of this job."

Macao started to move the cabinet out from the wall, dubious amounts of 'stuff' falling to the ground around it. Suddenly, he was thrilled to take on the task, "I might be awhile…a looooong while."

"Asshole," Jet commented as he removed a large blanket full of moth holes. A musty smell flooded the room on top of the usual stench.

Gildarts chuckled, nudging Natsu's shoulder as they finally left the premises.

* * *

Aki and Sora stood together by the living room window – the one that _wasn't_ busted.

"So many cops," Sora lamented, "You really think we can sneak past them?"

Aki scanned the area again.

"They're going in a pattern," she whispered, "See? He walks the perimeter one way…that guy walks the other way. The group patrolling the house walk the other way in about 30 seconds and will be gone for a full minute. We have a small window to get to the forest if we plan it right."

"And do what once we get there?" Sora asked.

"I don't want to sit around anymore," Aki said heavily, "The cops haven't found Daisuke or Cana…I just want to find them."

Sora nodded, "Me too…but where are we going to look that the cops haven't?"

Aki hummed to herself, contemplating the question.

"And more," Sora whispered, gesturing backward to the room full of family and friends, "How will we get out without _them_ seeing? If Lark catches us, there's no way he'll let us go without him. If the parents catch us, it's mission-over before it even began."

Aki nodded, "I can see that. We'll just have to figure that out as we go. Maybe we should take Lark with us anyway."

Sora scanned the living room, "Where _is_ Lark?"

"He's restless too. He had an argument with Mom earlier," Aki said slowly, also noting he wasn't in the room, "Or at least she shooed him into his room awfully fast. I wonder if he stayed there to stew."

Sora nodded, glancing out the window as an officer came around the corner, completely on cue.

* * *

Lucy bent beside Rogue and Laki, still wrapped in each others' arms. Rogue had just woken up, so she offered him a glass of water and a sandwich. He sat up, gratefully accepting the gesture. She squeezed both Rogue and Laki's hands as she gave a supportive wink, then backed out to go tend to the other kids.

"I need to get back out there," Rogue said gruffly.

"I'm glad you stayed for awhile," Laki ran her fingers through her hair, then through the sleeping Megumi's, "We both needed you."

"I needed you too," Rogue kissed her nose, then the top of Megumi's head, "I can't stand it when you're mad at me."

"I'm scared," Laki confessed, "I'm terrified. Our Daisuke is out there…alone. I guess I lashed out at you because I had no one else to lash out at. I'm sorry."

"I'm scared too. Maybe he's not alone," Rogue said softly, "Maybe Cana is with him right now. Bet he's thinking about us too."

She nodded, kissing him on the cheek as he picked up his empty plate and glass, "Go find our baby."

They both cringed inwardly, knowing as time ticked, the likelihood of finding Daisuke dwindled. Laki flashed Rogue a supportive smile, trying to hide her tears, as Rogue kissed her one last time, then headed for the door.

* * *

"The next house," Toby monotonously droned, "The people didn't beat me…but they didn't pay attention either. They didn't feed me…and I wore clothes left behind by their other foster kid. He was three years younger than me."

Cana hummed to herself. Her arm was swung around Toby's shoulders. He was slowly opening up to her, telling her about various foster homes he'd be exposed to. Naturally, the most shocking was the one that locked him in the closet, but the poor kid had been through it all. Throughout the years, there had been several homes. Toby and Yuka always ended up back at the orphanage one way or another. They clung together, helping each other cope.

"We ran away when we were thirteen," Toby continued. He wasn't panicking anymore. He was more in a stupor-like state, simply mumbling his story as it came to him, "We found an old abandoned house. That's where we lived for the last 4 years. The orphanage didn't look for us, assuming we were still in the last homes we were placed in. I guess they never told the orphanage we left. We went back to the orphanage anyway one night...took our paperwork so maybe they'd 'forget' to look for us. We forged each other's parents' signatures for school and stuff…knew a guy downtown that would go in for interviews with teachers when he needed him."

"Where did you get food?" Cana asked.

"Wherever we could find it," Toby shrugged, "There's an apricot tree in the backyard. Otherwise, we'd work the odd job and buy things like ramen and KD to get us through."

"KD?" Daisuke asked from his corner.

"Kraft Dinner," Cana and Yuka said together.

Cana shook her head incredulously, exchanging glances with a silent Daisuke. Yuka sat beside him, both of them listening to Toby's rambling.

"How did you keep your clothes clean? How did you pay the household bills?" she asked.

"We didn't have power at the house...so no bills to keep up on," Toby drawled, "We took our clothes to the river. Sometimes if one of us could pick up an extra job, we'd go to the laundromat. We picked up new bits of clothing from the lost and found at school."

Daisuke's mouth dropped open, remembering the sweater he'd lost one year. He'd actually accused Yuka of stealing, but the boy insisted he'd gotten it for Christmas. In the end, Daisuke had let it go because he had plenty of other clothing. Never once did he consider Yuka had taken it from the lost and found.

"And how did you get involved with the…" Cana took a breath, hardly daring to say the words out loud, "…demons?"

"Mary approached us," Toby stated, "About 3 or 4 months back…"

"Toby!" Yuka warned.

Toby covered his mouth.

"That's enough," Yuka snapped, "Thanks for helping Toby's panic attack, but we have no reason to trust you with details of our lives."

"It seems to me like you've both had pretty nasty luck," Cana stated, meeting his eyes, "I'm just listening because that's what I do for a living. I'm not judging you…I'm not berating you for details. I'm simply trying to _listen_. When's the last time someone did that for you?"

Yuka looked to the ground, "Not for a long time."

"What about you?" she asked, "What's your story?"

Yuka shrugged, "I dunno. Same story, more or less."

She nodded, narrowing her eyes, "Is that why you dislike Lark so much? Lark and Sora? They got out of the orphanage and adopted into great families…"

Yuka scowled at her.

She threw up her hands in surrender, "Okay! Illegal question. How about this? When was your last good meal?"

"Mary feeds us," Toby stated, still monotonously, "or at least she has for the past 3 or 4 months."

Cana nodded, glancing at Daisuke again, "That's good. I'm glad she feeds you. When we get out of here, I'm going to try to help you."

"You can't help us," Yuka scoffed, "And why would you want to?"

Her eyes were serious as she caught his gaze. He swallowed, knowing whatever came out of her mouth next would be the absolute truth.

"Because I'm a Fairy Tail employee…" she told them, her sincerity striking nerves in both Toby and Yuka, "That's what we do…help people that have nowhere to go or have had bad things happen to them. You aren't bad kids…you've just never had a chance."

The silence was uncomfortable as Toby and Yuka considered her words. Cana's arm was still around Toby. She squeezed his shoulders slightly.

"I could really go for a burger right now," Daisuke sighed, trying to break the tension.

"With lots of pickles!" Cana added.

"And mustard," Toby added.

They all laughed slightly.

"You've been dumped too," Cana said seriously, "Those demons left you here, knowing Toby would panic. We can help you if you let us…and then we'll all get those burgers."

Toby opened his mouth, then shut it as Yuka shot him a warning glare.

"Thanks," Yuka stated, "but when they come back for us, we'll be outta here. We'll get our own burgers. But you'll be stuck here…maybe we'll bring you a pickle if you're good."

Cana nodded, relaxing against the wall.

Daisuke's hand rested on his side, trying to control the pain he had there. He thought about Aki and Sora, hoping beyond hope that he had some way to warn them about Mary. He figured Cana had a plan by the way that she was yakking to Toby and Yuka…she was trying to gain their trust. She hadn't reacted to Yuka's comment, almost like she expected the hostility. He would play along with her for now. So far, she'd extracted more information from them than they had from Cana and Daisuke.

He thought about his parents and his sister. They would be besides themselves with worry now. He sent out a silent prayer, begging Heaven to give them a clue. Any clue would do.

His stomach growled, making his side wound hurt.

A pickle would really taste delicious about now.

* * *

Romeo glanced at the old rickety house, noting the heavy police presence. He advanced on it, waving to his fellow officers as he looked for Natsu, Rogue or Sting.

"Hey Romeo!" Droy called out, "Where have you been? You've missed the _best_ part!"

Romeo wrinkled his nose, noting the horrendous smell coming from…well, the entire property.

"We're almost done now, Brat," Jet tousled his hair, "Just like you to show up now. Come give me a hand with these garbage bags."

"I can't," Romeo stated, glancing around the disaster, "I need to find Natsu."

"He and Gildarts took off awhile ago," Alzack told him, "They're going to check out some lead. Hope it goes somewhere. Cuz what we have so far? It's all garbage."

The other officers groaned at his bad pun.

"What about Rogue or Sting?" he asked.

"Sting is at the station with Yukino," Nab offered, "He's making important decisions about the layout of our investigation."

"Rogue went back to the Dragneel house," Evergreen added, "We didn't get any from Aki or Sora. They either don't know…or have good reason to keep it from us."

"I didn't get that impression," Alzack shook his head, "I don't think they know anything more than they were bullied."

"OH MAVIS!" Droy called out, "Dead skunk, people! I found a freakin' dead skunk!"

The hoard of officers all shied away, groaning their disgust.

Romeo used the opportunity to return to the path. He needed to back peddle to his car. If he couldn't find Rogue, Sting, or Natsu, he'd go to the next best authority on Angels…Lark Dragneel.

* * *

Lark was expressionless as he listened to the end of Mavis's tale. She told him everything about her and Zeref's relationship, right to the end where Lark had been taken from Hell, then delivered to Earthland at the doorstep of a small church.

"So…am I more demon than Angel?" he asked after a long silence.

Mavis shook her head adamantly, "No! I raised you in Heaven. All your ideals come from there, Larcade. You're more Angel than demon…and more human than Angel at this point."

He was sitting against the wall now, his knees drawn into his chest. Mavis was sitting on the box spring of the bed. The mattress was still in the living room, used by one of the adults the previous night for sleeping.

"So what does all of this have to do with what's happening now?" Lark asked, "That explains my nightmares…the Aura thing explains why demons have suddenly zeroed in on my location. The fact that I'm half-Angel, half-demon explains why I can see Angels. But why were Cana and Daisuke taken?"

Mavis took in a sharp breath, contemplating how to answer.

"The truth is…" she said slowly, "I don't actually know for sure. I know the Church of Alvarez wants the Son. They said something about a sacrifice so that the gates of Hell can be unlocked. I assume they believe your death will free Zeref from his confines in Hell. I don't know how that could be true…but that's what I gathered from the Bishop. I think they're trying to get information from Cana and Daisuke...or maybe use them to draw you out."

Lark sighed, "I'm a danger to everyone around me."

She sucked in a breath, trying to choose her words carefully so he would stop thinking the worst about his origins, "That's not your fault...but it _is_ why you need to come with me. We'll hide somewhere. I'll keep you safe. Once you're safe, everyone you care about will likely be left alone."

He glanced at her, realizing the magnitude of what she was telling him...she planned to make him abandon everything he knew...leave his friends...leave his family.

"Where are the Angels? I know there's been Angels watching over us for a lot of years…but I haven't felt them for days."

"They're training," Mavis replied, "In case we're forced into a war."

Lark's face drained of colour.

 _A war..._

 _...between Angels and demons..._

 _...because of me..._

"Wendy too?" he asked, his voice quivering.

She nodded, trying to hide her reaction at the use of Wendy's name, "We have already-trained Angels looking after your family and friends."

"And what about Daisuke and Cana? Are they being looked after?" he hung his head, "Are they at least looking for them?"

"All of Heaven's resources are on it," Mavis promised him, "We will find them…and they'll be brought home safely."

"Mavis," he whimpered. His eyes widened as he looked back at her, realizing he'd just taken her name in vain again.

"It's okay," she told him, "I'm used to it."

"All these years," he lamented, "And I never once considered the possibility that I could be an Angel too."

"You weren't ever supposed to know," Mavis replied, "I hoped you would have a normal human life…get married…have kids."

He shook his head, "Natsu and Lucy would kill me. I'm still only 16."

She gave him a weak smile, "You're almost 17. And in Heavenly years, you're several years older than that."

He snorted, thinking of all his friends and family that he might never have a chance to celebrate that birthday with. As if she read his mind, she gave him a reassuring squeeze on his hand.

"I promise you…I will do everything in my power to protect you," she smiled gently, "Life in Heaven can be rewarding too, Larcade. You may not be able to have children of your own…but you can find a nice Angel and have a relationship if you want to in the future...you can have a career of helping people...but most of all, you'll be safe there."

The pain etched on his face dug into her again.

"Can you understand why I'd be terrified of that?" he asked, his voice low, "You dumped me on Earthland and show up however many years later, telling me I'm not human. I'm just supposed to be _okay_ with that? 'Hi Lark - you're a cross between a devil and Angel. Oh - and your dad wants to kill you. You're cool with that, right?' "

Mavis's mouth gaped open as she searched for words.

"I've always known I don't have parents!' he stated, shaking his head forlornly, "I always wondered about my roots...but this is the first time I've ever wished not to meet either of you. It's too much! And I don't know how to handle this! And how can I leave everything I know? Whether we fight or not, Natsu and Lucy have given me everything they can! My siblings...and my friends...how can I just leave them?"

There was a sharp knocking on the door. Mavis and Lark exchanged glances.

"I know this is a shock," Mavis apologized, "It'll be okay, though...I promise. We'll talk later."

Their eyes were locked. She ran a hand down the side of his face.

"I never stopped loving you, Larcade. Please don't ever think you were a burden to me or that I didn't want you. If there wasn't danger, I would have kept you by my side."

The knocking intensified. Lark flinched, glancing toward the door.

"I'll come find you later," she promised.

Mavis disappeared immediately.

Lark waited until he was sure she was out of sight before crossing the room to unlock the door. He took a moment, trying to set aside the rage/anguish that he felt.

"Aki!" he exclaimed.

"We need to talk," Aki told him, barging in. Sora gave him a little wave, coming in behind her, "You've been in here for hours…what are you doing?"

"I guess I fell asleep," Lark offered, gesturing toward the box spring. He hoped that would explain his facial expression. He knew he couldn't hide everything he was feeling at the moment. He exchanged a glance with Sora, "I didn't sleep much last night."

"Us either," Aki dismissed the comment, "Listen…we want to break out. We need to be out there looking for Daisuke."

"And Cana," Sora added.

He felt a _nudge_ come from the room. Mavis was warning him not to leave the property.

"Lucy will kill us," he told them both, "It's a bad idea."

Both Sora and Aki reeled back.

"I can't believe _you're_ backing out… _of all people_!" Aki exclaimed.

Lark shook his head, "I just can't, okay? Besides…if I go missing, they'll notice right away. They _expect_ something like that from me. You two…they won't suspect a thing for awhile."

Aki studied him for a moment, her scrutinizing eye looking him up and down, "What's gotten into you? You're acting very strange lately."

Sora scoffed, "Lately?"

"You saw something when we were attacked," Aki said, stunning both Lark and Sora.

Lark smiled, "You're too suspicious, Aki. Nothing happened and I'm not acting strangely."

She stared at him for a moment, "You won't say anything, right?"

He shook his head, "Be careful."

Both Sora and Aki nodded, heading for the door. Lark glanced around the room. All signs of Mavis were gone.

"Please send an Angel with them," he said out loud, "Please help them find Cana and Daisuke. I don't care if it's the cops…or Aki and Sora…just help find them. Please."

He felt a small wave of comfort spread through the room.

"Thank you."

"Lark?" he heard Lucy call, "Where are you?"

The remnants of his cast lay all over the floor. He wasn't sure how Aki and Sora had missed that.

"Oh…" he whispered under his breath as Lucy burst into the room. He offered a smile and a little wave with his formerly injured shoulder, "Shit."

Lucy's piercing eyes met his.

Lark glanced down at the box spring, suddenly wishing he'd gone with Aki and Sora.

* * *

Loke turned, gesturing to Kinana that he'd really appreciate another drink, "We found a cheque stub, Natsu. Yuka received $5000.00 from the Church of Alvarez. The rest of the papers…half of them aren't even legible."

Natsu hummed on the other end, " _So why would a Church give that kind of money to teenage kids_?"

"I don't know, but there's also room confirmations for a hotel down the street," Mest added, "There's about 3 months – paid up front here."

The phone was on speaker. Loke and Mest had spent the better part of the afternoon going through the filing cabinet while Natsu and Gildarts had delved into investigating the whereabouts of the Church of Alvarez.

" _Interesting_ ," Gildarts paused, " _What else is in there_?"

"Oddball things," Mest piped up, "Things like schooling receipts. It seems the Church paid for their last semester's supplies and whatnot."

"Any luck locating the place?" Loke asked.

" _Yeah_ ," Natsu told them, " _We're leaving the library now_."

"Interesting that two kids – not at all good students – would keep records on things," Mest sighed, "What in the hell is going on here?"

" _One thing's for sure_ ," Natsu stated, " _That Church knows something_."

" _Keep looking through that cabinet_ ," Gildarts instructed, " _Let us know if you find anything else…and do us a favour and tell Sting what we've found. Ask him to follow up on the hotel. We need to know if they're staying in that room._ "

Loke frowned, "You're not stopping by for the proof?"

" _No time_ ," Natsu told them, " _If they know where Daisuke and Cana are, we need to get to them as soon as possible. Call Sting for us. Let 'im know what's going on._ "

The line went dead. Mest, Kinana, Loke, and Aries exchanged glances.

"I really wish we didn't have those idiots upstairs," Loke sighed, "I'd like to go look too."

"For a mission that we weren't supposed to have hands on, we've been stuck with an awful lot of the duty," Mest agreed, "And it's not like Dan and Jackal are easy to look after."

"Speaking of which," Aries pushed a tray toward them.

Both men groaned. It was feeding time. They all dreaded it. Mest and Loke both balled their fists, performing Rock-Paper-Scissors to see who would get the honour.

Loke sighed, "Okay…me again."

Minerva followed him up the staircase, glancing to the new Angels in the corner. They were less than friendly, but she too had detected the unnerving presence the other night. Something was going to happen. It was just a matter of time.

* * *

"This is the Church of Alvarez?" Natsu asked, looking the very ordinary building over, "I pass this building every day…never knew what it was."

Gildarts frowned, "It took us awhile to research its' whereabouts. Somebody doesn't want a lot of people to know it exists."

Natsu nodded, "So…do we go knock on the front door?"

Gildarts gave him a cocky grin, "I'm game if you are. It's been awhile, partner."

Natsu beamed, staring at the front door, "I love working with Romeo…but working with you? It's like dealing with a whole new level of badass. I'm all fired up! Let's do this."

They crossed the street together, opening both the glass doors so that they entered side-by-side.

A red-haired secretary sat behind her desk, staring at the intruders. Both Gildarts and Natsu noted the piles of debris and punched in walls as she stood, reaching for her telephone.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice quivering.

Natsu took in her appearance, stepping back slightly. She was ridiculously thin - like anorexic thin. Her long red hair reached almost to the floor. He strained his eyes, leaning slightly closer. Were her eyes different sizes? He shook his head, thinking he must be seeing things. But there was no mistaking her wavering form. She sashayed from side to side like she was drunk.

Two large guards entered the room, staring Natsu and Gildarts up and down. One was incredibly hairy. Perhaps that wouldn't have struck Natsu as odd...if he had less of a gorilla appearance. He had a spike on his head. The word 'sasquatch' came to mind, but Natsu quickly discarded the thought. The other guard was tall - probably almost 7 feet tall. It occurred to Natsu just how odd it was that a Church would require security guards.

"Can we talk to the person in charge please?" Natsu demanded.

Gildarts nudged him, warning him with a glance to keep any hostility out of his voice for now.

"Who's asking?" the secretary narrowed one eye, one hand still on her phone.

Natsu suppressed the urge to ask her for a breathalyzer test. He cast a quick glance to Gildarts, the older man's gaze glued to her ample chest...the only part of her body that actually had some substance.

Natsu produced his badge, "I'm Officer Natsu Dragneel of the Magnolia Police Department. We have a few questions."

"Can you ask me?" she asked, twirling a finger in her hair as she maintained eye contact with Gildarts.

Natsu suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

"We'd prefer to speak to whomever is in charge," Gildarts spoke up, "If you don't mind..."

"He's busy," the secretary said flatly, "You'll have to make an appointment."

"We can get a warrant from the department within the hour," Natsu shot back, "and come in anyway…or you can call him for us and keep this civil."

"We're a Church!" she exclaimed, "What could you possibly have on us that you think you could get a warrant for!"

She paused, exchanging glances with the guards. Her behaviour was completely different than her words.

"Please," Gildarts said calmly, taking a step toward her, "We don't have to get the warrant if you'll just cooperate."

She picked up her phone, hitting the extension to her boss. She turned her back so that Gildarts and Natsu wouldn't hear the conversation.

Gildarts took the moment to observe the area, noting the locking doors that presumably lead to hallways around the building. There were security cameras hanging in the corners of the room. But most of all, he noted how jittery both the guards were.

"He'll see you," she said finally, turning back around. She unlocked the centre door, escorting them down a long hallway.

Natsu found himself wondering how she kept from falling, the way she tipsily maneuvered herself.

"What happened here?" Gildarts asked, noting more holes in the wall as they walked. The place was seemingly deserted.

"Just an old building," she dismissed the comment, "We're a poor Church."

Natsu and Gildarts exchanged glances again. It didn't look like it was _that poor!_ The furniture in each room they passed was high quality.

"Looks more to me like there was a fight here," Natsu ventured to say.

She turned, giving him a sharp look, then proceeded to unlock the last door.

Natsu's face drained of colour, sudden nauseousness enveloping his body.

"You okay, buddy?" Gildarts asked.

Natsu nodded, thinking to himself about the last time he'd felt the sudden urge to throw his guts up…the night they were attacked.

"Your holiness," the secretary bowed, "These are the officers from MPD."

The man stood up, ushering them inside to the plush chairs, "Welcome. Please come and sit."

Gildarts and Natsu approached cautiously, the hairs on the back their necks standing up. Something didn't feel right.

"What can I do for you?" the Bishop asked.

"We're looking for some people," Gildarts said, "And we think you might know something about it."

"Me?" the Bishop asked incredulously.

Natsu put two pictures from his wallet down on the desk in front of the Bishop.

"That's Daisuke Cheney and Cana Alberona. They both went missing last night and we have reason to believe they were both kidnapped."

"That's horrible!" the Bishop exclaimed, "I hope you find them quickly! But how can I help you?"

Gildarts laid the page full of pictures of the teenagers with the brochure attached to it in front of the Bishop.

Natsu's stomach flopped again. The Bishop still showed no signs of recognizing anyone on the page.

"I'd really like to know why we found pictures of my children stapled together with a brochure for your church," he stated.

The Bishop picked up the paper, glancing at the picture before flipping to the 2nd page where his brochure was.

"Where are Cana and Daisuke?" Gildarts demanded.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" the Bishop insisted.

"Really?" Natsu hummed, "Because this was found in a condemned house…the house of two of the people we suspect had a hand in their kidnapping. Maybe you'd like to explain how you know Toby Horhorta and Yuka Suzuki. You do know _them_ , right? Why do they have pictures of the kids?"

"They've attended my Church a few times!" the Bishop exclaimed, "So I know of Toby and Yuka…but I don't know the other kids! I've never seen them before."

"Why did the Church of Alvarez give $5000.00 to Yuka Suzuki?" Gildarts stood, slamming his hands on the desk.

The Bishop cringed, "You're way out of line here. I demand to speak to your supervisor."

"Sting?" Natsu snorted, "Yeah…great idea. Here. I'll get him on the line for you."

He pulled out his cellphone, reaching for the speed dial option.

Suddenly, the Bishop's eyes narrowed as he rose to meet Gildarts' eyes, "You can't prove anything. You barged in here and didn't even produce badges. I'll have you both suspended."

"Technically Natsu showed your secretary his badge. And you agreed to see us. There's more evidence that you know something...we have a cheque stub," Gildarts stared down the shorter man, challenging him with his eyes, "It's not on premises, but I guarantee Sting will issue the warrant without thinking twice."

"Get them out of here!" the Bishop roared to his guards.

One of the guards snatched the phone from Natsu's hand, pushing them toward the entrance of the office. He canceled the call, tossing the phone in the garbage can as more guards arrived to assist with removing Natsu and Gildarts from the room.

"Oh, _hell_ no!" Natsu yelled, swinging around. His fist connected with the guard's face, sending him reeling backward.

Gildarts laughed out loud, going back to back with Natsu, "Oh hell, YA! It's been a long time, partner! I shouldn't have retired! I _live_ for this shit!"

Natsu grinned, already on to his next opponent. The Bishop sat back in his chair, watching the gleam of light flit between his demon guards, knocking them out from the shadows. These were no ordinary cops. They had Angelic presences watching over them.

Nonetheless, the cops' prowess at knocking out their attackers was admirable, regardless of how futile. They were both formidable fighters - even the older man, who'd left his fighting days behind him long ago. He was quick in his movements, effective with his direct hits to pressure points.

They were sorely outnumbered, Natsu realized as he clunked two heads together, and they just _kept getting back up_.

"What the hell?" Gildarts yelled, charging another demon – the same one he'd taken down twice, "Natsu! Why aren't we gaining any ground?"

Natsu shook his head, throwing a guard backward into another.

Gildarts took an elbow to the back, forcing him down to his knees. Natsu round-house kicked the guard who did it, forcing all the air from his stomach. Another guard kicked Gildarts in the head while he was down, making the older man cringe. He got back up and kept hitting, but Natsu was worried now. Those had been serious blows.

"Have you figured it out yet?" the Bishop called above the din, "You shouldn't have started anything. Now we can't let you leave."

"Gildarts! Time to go!" Natsu yelled, swinging by the garbage can to retrieve his phone.

"You got that right!" Gildarts shouted back, clicking the 911 cheat button he had on his quick contacts.

One of the guards pointed at the phone, melting it in Gildarts' hand. Another zapped Natsu's phone with a single finger from across the room. Black lightning shot from his finger, disintegrating it completely. Both Gildarts and Natsu froze, their eyes bulging.

"Take 'em down," the Bishop ordered.

They were completely surrounded. Now Gildarts and Natsu could see the glowing eyes. They went back-to-back again, both in defensive stances.

The Bishop circled around to Gildarts, a crooked smile on his lips, "Gildarts Clive…legend of the precinct."

The Bishop pushed through the circle the guards had made, walking straight up so that his face was level with Natsu's.

"And Natsu Dragneel," he said, his breath permeating Natsu's nose, "Police officer of the Magnolia Detachment…former _Angel of Oops_."

"Former what?" Natsu cried out, "What the hell are you talking about? How do you know my name!"

"Okay – so you know our names!" Gildarts spat, "Do you have any idea what a huge mistake it is to assault an officer of the law?"

The Bishop laughed, "Do you have any idea how stupid you are to march into this Church and assault a cult of demons?"

Both Natsu and Gildarts froze, the words sinking in.

"Your daughter can fight too," the Bishop said in a low, threatening voice, "Very pretty little thing. But none of you… _puny, pathetic_ humans are a match against us."

He swung a fist, careening it into Gildarts' stomach. The older man grunted, falling to his knees. Natsu cringed, knowing it would have hit the bruise left by the other guard.

"Hold him," the Bishop ordered.

Immediately guards restrained both Natsu and Gildarts.

"What did you do to my Cana?" Gildarts hissed, struggling against the guards, "Where is she?!"

The Bishop backtracked to his desk, removing an iron glove from one of the drawers. It was plated and had multiple spikes on it.

"Oh Mavis," Gildarts whispered.

"Do you feel it yet, _Oops?"_ the Bishop demanded as he approached Gildarts again, "The burning anger coursing through your veins? Do you feel it rising within you? Give in to your rage. Let it surface. Guards - turn Mr. Clive around. I want Mr. Dragneel to watch."

The guards holding Natsu physically wrenched his body toward Gildarts.

"You see, you're not just the former _Angel of Oops,"_ he told him, the gleam in his eye making Natsu's stomach lurch, "You're something _far_ more powerful…"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Natsu bellowed, "But you are _really_ pissing me off!"

"Good!" the Bishop laughed, the guards joining him. A chill ran down Natsu's back, "Let's see if I can piss you off enough that we'll see your 'other side' come out, shall we? The one that lays dormant inside you!"

He turned to Gildarts, looking him directly in the eye.

"Brace yourself…this is really going to hurt."

* * *

In the shadows, Laxus hit the panic button calling all available Angels on his cell phone, preparing to go visible. He knew the damage to the building in the hallways and the front room must have been caused by Mavis, but she hadn't said anything at all to the Angels about it. The other Angels would need to sleep for a good few hours yet before their energy would be replenished. Laxus hadn't been able to clear the demons off of Natsu and Gildarts in his current state...in order to help them, he would have to become visible. But there were very few options since he knew backup was limited.

Gildarts and Natsu were in big trouble. He couldn't wait for backup.

He took a deep breath as the Bishop raised his spiked glove to hit Gildarts, then charged.

* * *

Mavis looked over the sleeping Angels in Gajeel and Levy's attic. Beds lined the edges. Gray was sprawled across his, his arm protectively over Juvia. Lyon lay on the floor next to them. Erza was also taking up her entire twin-sized bed, letting out soft snores. Gajeel and Levy cuddled together in their sleep. The Exceeds took up another bed, each comfortably curled onto the mattress. She couldn't help but notice Carla between the now-miniaturized Pantherlily and Happy.

Mavis had Laxus tailing Natsu and Gildarts, Minerva still over-looking Fairy Tail, Erik following Sting and Yukino, and Jellal investigating possible leads as to where the human prisoners were being held. Makarov remained in the living room of the Dragneel house. But they were spread too thin. She needed to get back to the Dragneel house as soon as possible.

"They did well," Mira yawned, sitting up as she noted Mavis's presence, "They all put everything they had into it."

She paused, seeing the worried expression on Mavis's face.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I had to tell Larcade about his origins," Mavis told her bleakly, "Things are not going to placate once we find Daisuke and Cana. The Church wants him."

Mira's eyes widened, "Church? What do they want with Lark?"

Mavis took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, "To sacrifice him to Zeref."

Mira gasped, the same worry crossing her face, "How can we protect him?"

"I've sent word back to Heaven," Mavis assured her, "All of Heaven will be trained within a few days."

Mira nodded, "Ur said something about that…waiting for the next group before the instructors return to the stars."

She watched the blonde Angel's facial expression. Mavis was known for her cool head in any crisis. It bothered Mira that she looked so worried.

"They have another 6 hours or so to sleep," Mira said softly, gesturing to the sleeping Angels, "I'll be fine. We're short-handed. You need me out there too…to protect the Dragneels."

"You need to sleep too," Mavis sighed, "And you'll be no good to us if you're exhausted. We'll handle it for now. Please. Go ahead. I'll protect the Dragneels personally."

Mira laid down in her bed again, watching Mavis place her hand over each Angel's forehead. She was solidifying the teachings into each of them.

Her task completed, she _transported_ back to the Dragneel house. Finding Daisuke and Cana was definitely a priority, but it came second to protecting her one and only son. She would not leave his side until they knew what the heck was going on.

Her cell phone went off the moment she arrived at the Dragneels.

She read the alert text, complete with address, immediately dialing to get an All-Angel Broadcast out.

"Laxus is in trouble!" she said as soon as the call went live, "We need to get to the following address ASAP."

" _What about our wards_?" Erik asked.

"We have no choice!" Mavis exclaimed into the phone, "Leave two to guard Jackal and Dan – the rest of you, _get there now_!"

Hanging up, Mavis lost no time. She let out a silent prayer for everyone's safety, then _transported_ back to the Church. She really thought they'd have a day or two between shit before it hit the fan.

 _May Ankhseram have mercy on us all._

* * *

Aki glanced back to the kitchen as Romeo came through the door, drawing the attention of the children and adults that still sat, waiting for news.

"Romeo!" Laki exclaimed, "Did you hear anything?"

He glanced around, "Where's Lark?"

Everyone stilled, hearing the yelling coming from the bedroom.

"He's…preoccupied right now," Hansuke rolled his eyes, "From what we can gather, he's removed his cast. Mom…is less than happy about that."

Romeo turned on his heel, heading for Lark's room. The children, dying for any drama that could take their minds off the fact that they were quarantined, rallied behind him. Laki sighed, deciding she'd better go see what the ruckus was about as well.

"Perfect," Aki whispered, gesturing toward the window.

She and Sora scanned the outside perimeter, watching the police guards disappear around the house after a minute.

"NOW!" Aki told her, throwing open the patio doors.

"Aki! The police will be coming back any second!" Sora protested.

"Then we'd better hurry!" Aki hissed back.

Sora took the moment to shut them behind them, then took off running after Aki toward the forest. Their window of opportunity was closing. On cue, one of the officers rounded the corner. Both Aki and Sora ducked under a bush at the edge of the property, just barely into the forest, trying to breathe as quietly as possible. It proved to be difficult, considering their hearts were pounding so loudly. The guard stilled for a moment in front of their bush, then continued past them.

Aki grabbed Sora's arm, guiding her deeper into the forest.

"We made it!" Sora exclaimed, "So where do we go first?"

"The school," Aki told her, "I wonder if we can get into the office to check the records there."

"Impossible," Sora shook her head, "There's no way. That's breaking and entering."

"Do you want to find Daisuke and Cana or not?" Aki queried.

Sora nodded slowly, following her friend toward the path that wound behind the Dragneel property.

"Aki! Sora!" a voice called, "What are you guys doing here?"

Both girls froze, turning slowly.

"Oh, thank Mavis!" Sora let out a sigh of relief. Beside her, she saw Aki also let out a breath, "Mary…it's only you."

* * *

 ** _It occurred to me this week that I have officially been writing for this site for a whole year! A year ago this week, I published the first chapter of Celestial Heartbeat. Crazy how fast this year has gone!_**

 ** _Anyway, BIG THINGS happening in Oops 2 over the next couple weeks. I think perhaps for September – the anniversary of Angel of Oops beginnings – I might have to put out a special story :D_**

 ** _Have an excellent week everyone!_**

 ** _~Shana~_**


	25. Chapter 25

Natsu's entire body shook as he stared directly into Gildarts' eyes. The older man showed no fear, stealing himself against the incoming gloved weapon.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Natsu screamed, struggling against the guards that held him. He roared, thrashing wildly as the Bishop threw his fist forward.

Natsu didn't see the flash of light that knocked the fist away from Gildarts' face. All he saw was the blonde man who suddenly appeared between Gildarts and the Bishop. He was ridiculously tall. His jagged blonde hair was cut short and he wore a white garb…kind of like Caesarean times. He subconsciously wracked his brain, looking for the right word…toga?

"Hello, Angel," the Bishop snarled, lowering the glove.

The Angel balled his fists, glaring at the old man in front of him, "Leave them alone."

"I can't do that, Angel," the Bishop snorted.

Both Natsu and Gildarts stared in horror. _Angel? First demons, now Angels? What in the HELL was going on here?_

* * *

Jiggle shielded his eyes at first, the bright sun a little too much after spending the night and much of the day inside a dark cell.

He took a deep breath of air, letting it out slowly as a smile curved onto his lips. He'd dodged another bullet. The Magnolia Police hadn't been able to get anything out of him.

Life as a thug-for-hire could be nasty sometimes. It meant putting up with a lot of crap from bosses and usually required doing all the grunt work. It also meant if anything was going to be caught, it would almost definitely be the grunt man. It wasn't the first time Jiggle had been put in jail…and it would likely not be the last.

He took his time descending the four stairs that lead away from the station, pausing to turn and wave obnoxiously at Sergeant Yukino Eucliffe. Her eyes bore into the back of his head. She wasn't alone, he realized, as he turned back to his path. There was a tall, blonde guy with her. Jiggle was fairly sure he recognized the man as Sting Eucliffe, Chief of the Magnolia Police Department. He'd seen Sting's picture in the newspaper multiple times.

No matter. He was out of their dungeon now and he needed to report in.

"Maaaan," someone drawled from beside him.

Jiggle turned his head, noting two other men walking alongside him.

The man ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head to make the orange mane swish in the open air. Jiggle didn't think he could possibly be four feet tall. His facial bones gave him a square jaw and for a moment, Jiggle's nose was overwhelmed by the man's heavy cologne, "It's good to be free again."

"But our boss is gone now," the other whined. He was taller than the orange-haired man, bald, and he wore a pink leotard with a tutu around the middle and fake wings.

The orange-haired man nodded, contemplating to himself.

"We will just have to start over, maaaan," he told his companion.

"We have nowhere to go," the bald man pouted.

Jiggle stepped away from the two men, trying to go in the opposite direction. He needed to get to the Church as soon as possible to report. Well, _maybe_ after a stop to the hotel room he kept was in order. He was horrendously hungry.

Stomping off toward his hotel room, he barely noticed the two men follow him in the distance.

* * *

"Nice day for a walk!" Mary commented cheerfully as she fell into step between Aki and Sora.

Sora's heart was beating hard, really wishing they _hadn't_ run into Mary. They would be in enough trouble as it was once the adults figured out they'd snuck out of the house. She really didn't want to drag Mary into it too. Sora tried to catch Aki's eye to see if she was thinking the same thing, but the pink-haired girl was staring straight ahead to the path.

"Where are you going?" Mary piped up, breaking Sora's thoughts.

"We have a situation," Aki replied, pulling her cellphone out of her pocket. She glanced at the time, slipping it back quickly, "Sora and I are looking for Daisuke."

"He's not answering his texts?" Mary asked.

Sora shook his head, "No."

"Well, where is he?" Mary persisted.

Sora felt a twinge of annoyance pass through her, "If we knew, we wouldn't be looking for him."

Mary shrugged, "Well, let's go try his house."

"He won't be at his house," Aki stated flatly, "Look, Mary…I don't want to be rude, but Sora and I need to find Daisuke on our own, okay?"

Mary's face twanged with a hurt expression, "Oh. Okay. Did something bad happen?"

Aki halted, turning to the girl, her irritation evident in her eyes, "Something bad happened…yes. We need to find Daisuke and we don't have a lot of time. So please…we have to hurry…we'll catch up another day."

Sora nodded to Aki, the two of them picking up their pace as Mary dejectedly slowed hers. Sora started to sigh with relief when she realized that Mary wasn't going to give up that easily.

"What happened?" Mary asked, speeding to catch up, "Maybe I can help."

Sora and Aki exchanged glances, Sora sighing heavily. She didn't know why Mary was being so persistent, but she hoped Aki intended to stick to her resolve and make Mary go away.

"Daisuke was kidnapped last night," Aki said in a low voice, "We're going to look for him."

"No way!" Mary let out a gasp, "Have the police been called?"

Sora tried to warn Aki with her eyes that they shouldn't divulge too much information and they should ditch Mary as soon as possible.

"They've been out looking all night," Aki confirmed.

"Well, where's Lark?" Mary demanded, "He must be freaking out!"

"He's at home," Sora told her, "And he _is_ freaking out…which is why Aki and I left him there."

"And you need to stay quiet about our whereabouts," Aki warned her, "Our families…don't exactly realize we're doing our own investigation…yet."

"Wait…no one knows you left the house?" Mary asked, frowning. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"What's with all the –" Sora started to say.

Aki interrupted, "Because we feel helpless. Maybe if we can find something the cops missed, we can help them."

Sora seethed slightly. Something inside of her told her they should not be telling Mary anything.

""Do you know where to look?" Mary queried, glancing from Sora to Aki.

"We're going to try to track Toby and Yuka down," Aki stated flatly, "We think they know something."

Mary eyes widened, "I saw them this morning!"

Both Sora and Aki stopped in their tracks. The police had been out all night and there had been no signs of Toby or Yuka anywhere.

"Where?" Sora demanded, grabbing Mary's arm.

"Downtown!" Mary exclaimed, "Listen…you've made it clear you want to do this on your own, but I'll show you where I saw them…if you let me."

Sora shook her head at Aki. They both knew Magnolia well, having grown up there all their lives…they could question Mary instead of letting her tag along.

Never had Sora wished more that she was telepathic. Aki's eyes had lit up and Sora knew before she even opened her mouth that Aki was going to accept Mary's offer.

"Definitely!" Aki exclaimed.

Mary grinned, "Okay – let's go!"

The two girls broke into a run down the path that would lead them straight into town. Sora lagged behind a bit, her conscious practically screaming at her. She felt very uneasy, but even if she didn't agree that this was the best course of action, she wasn't about to leave Aki alone.

In the _shadows_ , Master Makarov Dreyar of Fairy Tail Heavenly Division frowned, then took to the shadows to chase after the girls. He had tried pushing thoughts into Sora's head, but it wasn't enough for her to protest the new plan. He'd caught the vibe off of the new girl immediately…and he didn't trust her one bit.

* * *

"What do you want with them?" the blonde Angel snarled.

He was between Gildarts and the Bishop. The Bishop circled, like a shark narrowing in on its' prey. His upper lip was curled into a similar snarl to the Angel's, their eyes locked in challenge as the Angel maneuvered his body to match the Bishop's movements.

"Aren't you curious, Angel?" the Bishop quipped, gesturing to Natsu, "You know who this is, don't you? He's no ordinary human."

The Angel stepped back for a moment, then resumed his defensive position, "He _is_ an ordinary human."

"He's no ordinary human!" the Bishop half-yelled, "And you know it, or you wouldn't be here trying to get in my way. Come now. Aren't you curious? Don't you want to see the other side of him?"

"He has no other side!" the Angel snarked back, "I'm going to take them and go. There is no need to fight here."

"I disagree," the Bishop waved his hand, the guards closing in, "I need to send a message to Mavis. I think your bodies would suffice, don't you?"

Gildarts and Natsu stood beside each other, completely dumbfounded. They didn't understand the conversation. Natsu was shaking his head in disbelief. This was the second time the Bishop had alluded that Natsu had 'other sides' to him. _What the fuck did that mean?_

The Bishop didn't wait for a response, unleashing a bolt of black lightning. It was aimed directly for Gildarts, but the Angel dodged in front, absorbing the entire shock.

Natsu shook his head, his eyes wide. Beside him, Gildarts tested the guards hold on him, realizing their vice grips weren't going to release easily.

"Interesting!" the Bishop cackled, "Lightning doesn't affect you!"

"Nope!" the Angel told him, cracking his knuckles, "In fact, all you did was charge me. That's my special ability."

He held his hands above his head, yellow crackles of electricity bolting between his hands.

"What in the hell have we walked into?" Natsu muttered under his breath, presumably to Gildarts, but his voice was so muddled, it came out as a choked squeak.

Gildarts understood him anyway, his eyes glued to the two figures in front of him. The Angel still blocked the Bishop's path to Natsu and Gildarts, but neither were paying attention to the dozen guards that were surrounding the three men from all sides. Shaking off his shock, Gildarts composed himself enough to resume his fighting stance.

"I don't know," Gildarts replied finally, "But maybe we need to ask less and concentrate a little more on getting the hell outta here."

"You got that right," Natsu agreed. Both began thrashing to try to loosen their guards' holds on them.

* * *

Romeo felt a little bit bad when he threw open the door to Lark's room. There was no doubt he was interrupting something. The bored children from the living room rushed around his sides, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on inside. Laki stood back a bit, holding Megumi against her side.

Lucy was pacing back and forth, pausing at the intrusion.

"Can I _help_ you?" she demanded. Her face was red with fury. Lark sat on the box spring, looking down at his feet. The remains of the cast were piled next to him.

"I need to talk to Lark," Romeo told her.

Lucy took a deep breath, "Well, we're in the middle of something right now. And I probably have to take him to the hospital now to have his arm re-casted…come back later."

"It's fine!" Lark insisted, stretching out his arm. He squeezed his muscles and rotated it loosely to prove his point.

"You just had surgery on that arm!" she spat angrily.

"Why don't I take him?" Romeo asked, his voice calm and reassuring, "Or at least let me drive you?"

Lucy shook her head, her exasperation showing as she picked up a piece of the cast and chucked it in the garbage can in the corner of Lark's room. Lark shot Romeo a pleading expression, appreciating any help the man could give him.

"Where in the hell is Natsu?" she muttered under her breath.

"He's following up on a lead," Romeo replied, "from what the other cops told me."

"I could stay with the kids," Laki offered, pushing through the children.

Lucy sighed heavily, observing her children around Laki. None of them could stay still, jumping to see over each other. The boys were starting to go stir crazy. They could really be a handful when they were this restless.

"That's a lot to take on by yourself."

Laki shook her head, "It will keep me occupied."

Lucy nodded slowly, her anger starting to dissipate, "Okay. But I'm laying down the law, Dragneels. There will be no misbehaving. No rough housing. No running. I'm not kidding. We'll be back as soon as we can, but we have to go through Emerg…and somehow, I doubt a kid who took off his own cast will be top priority. We could be there for awhile."

The younger kids nodded, backing away from the door. Lark stood up slowly, reaching for his wallet on the nightstand.

"Natsu won't be happy we're leaving the house," Lucy said to Romeo.

Romeo gestured at his radio, "I'll tell the other cops why. It'll be fine. They might even escort us."

Lucy couldn't shake her feeling of anxiety, but she followed Romeo out the door anyway, tugging Lark along behind her with a firm hand.

* * *

Sting and Rogue arrived at the dinky hotel, both glancing at it. It was a definite step up from the house, if Toby and Yuka were actually staying there, but it was by no means the Hilton.

They approached the desk, flashing their badges to the clerk.

"Officers Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney," Sting stated warily to the clerk, "We need access to Room 302."

"That's a private room," the clerk replied, "May I ask the reason?"

Rogue produced a search warrant, fresh off the press from the station, "We need to see the inside of the room."

The clerk took the paper, reading it over before glancing back up.

"Follow me please."

The clerk opened the room, stepping back to allow the two officers inside.

"I have to go back to the front desk," he told them.

"Go ahead," Sting replied, "We won't be long unless we find something."

The clerk nodded, heading for the elevator.

It was a fairly plain room. The first thing Sting and Rogue noticed was that housecleaning had been in. Both beds were made. A 30" TV sat on top of the dresser. There was a small bathroom to the left. There weren't any suitcases. If either Sting and Rogue had to judge at first glance, it simply looked like the room was ready for new guests.

Rogue crossed the room to the dresser, opening the drawer. There were a few pairs of tattered underwear and a few pairs of socks…two sets of underwear and socks…on opposite side of the drawers.

He pulled open the 2nd drawer as Sting headed for the nightstands. The second drawer contained t-shirts. Some were in better shape than others. He found it interesting that they were neatly folded. Again, there were 2 separate piles. The 3rd drawer predictably contained jeans and shorts.

"Well, the two separate piles of clothes tells me two people _could_ live here," he told Sting.

Sting turned from the nightstand drawer, holding up an iPod, "Well, we need better proof than this…check it out…this is Tanner Coy's iPod. It's etched into the metal. If this is Toby and Yuka's room, we already have them for minor theft."

Rogue hummed to himself, moving to the closet. He opened the sliding doors, bringing out his cell phone to use for lighting the inside.

Sting moved to the other night table, opening the drawer. There was nothing in it but a Bible.

"Closet's empty," Rogue announced, shutting the doors. He traipsed toward the bathroom.

"Nothing in this nightstand either," Sting replied, "But teenage kids aren't stupid. They wouldn't leave anything out in plain sight."

He glanced at the bed on the left, moving up to the pillows first. Removing the pillowcases, he searched the pillows for openings. Rogue exited the bathroom, taking his place with the bed on the right and copied Sting's movements. Sting finished searching the pillows, putting the pillow cases back on, then chucked them to the chair.

"Mattress?" Rogue asked.

Sting nodded, moving to the side of the bed. He cleared the bed of its sheets, running his hand alongside the edges of the mattress. Rogue repeated the movements on the other bed. They lifted the mattresses at the same time, both contented nothing was hidden underneath.

Rogue stared straight above him at a vent in the ceiling, "Think it's worth looking up there?"

"Might as well," Sting shrugged, "So far we don't even have anything that can prove Toby and Yuka have been in this room."

Sting brought a chair underneath the vent. Rogue paused, feeling an odd sensation. Sting felt it too. They glanced at each other, waiting.

Jellal appeared out of nowhere, waving his hello. He zipped his lips, pointing at a lamp in the corner. Sting nodded, moving to the lamp. He ran his fingers down the edge, finding the tiny device he suspected Jellal had already scoped out while he was invisible.

" _A bug_ ," he mouthed to Rogue.

Jellal nodded, pointing at a panel of the air conditioner, then disappeared again.

Rogue was already crossing the room, removing the panel. His eyes bulged momentarily as he pointed down inside of it. Sting put the chair back in the corner it came from, then joined Rogue on his knees in front of the air conditioner.

"The room is clean!" Sting announced, removing the contents from inside the air conditioner. Rogue already had an evidence bag open. Sting put everything inside.

"Let's go," Rogue replied, "We'll have to search some other place."

"You searched the bathroom?" Sting asked, winking as Jellal appeared a second time, pointing at the other lamp. He disappeared again quickly.

"Yeah – there's nothing here," Rogue replied.

Both men exited the hotel room, closing the door firmly behind them. They kept their regular pace after the elevator doors opened, returning them to the ground floor.

Sting approached the desk clerk, plopping down a $50 bill.

"For the maids to remake the beds," he explained as he and Rogue headed out of the hotel.

They waited until they were in the car before both letting out their breaths.

"Jellal?" Sting called once they were on the road.

Jellal appeared in the back seat.

"I can't stay," he told them, "I have an emergency to attend. You'll want to get the contents to the police station for examination…then you'd better take a crew to the Church of Alvarez. Something big is going on there. Natsu and Gildarts are in trouble. I have to go help."

Sting frowned. He had received a call from Loke earlier, telling him that Natsu and Gildarts were checking out the Church.

He disappeared before Sting and Rogue could say a word.

Rogue maneuvered his truck through the mid-day traffic as Sting pulled out the evidence bag.

"Bingo," he said under his breath, "Rogue, we can't stop at the station. We have to go straight to the church. Now. I'll call the station and ask for backup."

"What is it?" Rogue demanded.

"Pictures," Sting told him, his voice wavering a bit, "Pictures of the kids at school. Lark. Sora. Daisuke. And there's a note on this paper too…addressed to Toby and Yuka."

"What does the note say?" Rogue asked.

Sting was still thumbing through the wad of papers, reading to himself.

"STING!" Rogue yelled, "THE NOTE! WHAT DOES IT SAY?"

Sting paused, glancing up at his friend. He sucked in a breath, making an already-nervous Rogue even more nervous.

"It states yesterday's date, Rogue…" Sting said, "And it tells them the coordinated attack time and the location Toby and Yuka were to meet them."

"Who's them?" Rogue demanded, subconsciously pressing a little harder on the gas pedal.

Sting dialed the precinct number, his anger started to boil to the surface, "It's signed the Bishop of Alvarez."

Rogue reached below the dash, flicking the light switch that would light his vehicle up in the tell-tale red and blue flashing lights. The siren came to life, his foot pressing the gas pedal straight to the floor.

* * *

"I'm not going to waste my time with you," the Bishop announced, grinning evilly, "I was in the middle of something. Flare! If you would kindly remove the Angel from my way!"

Gildarts, Natsu and the Angel's eyes diverged from the Bishop to the secretary. She wavered as she walked, her hair flailing wildly in the air. She grinned, suddenly shooting her long red hair outward. It wrapped around the Angel's arms, whipping him across the room and into a wall.

The Angel slid to the floor. The guards holding Gildarts thrust Gildarts forward into the Bishop's waiting gloved hand, the first blow landing into his stomach. Gildarts huffed as all the air in his body exited, falling to his knees. The guards restrained him again as the Bishop glanced back up to Natsu's horrified face.

"Are you angry yet?" he taunted, pulling his glove back a second time.

Natsu's eyes were bloodshot as he struggled against his guards. The Bishop released a second attack, this time focusing on Gildarts' other side. Gildarts let out a strangled cry.

"How about now?" the Bishop cackled, "C'mon, Mr. Dragneel…I know he's in there _somewhere!"_

The Angel had gotten off the ground behind them, struggling to free himself of the red-headed secretary's hold on him. He threw out a lightning bolt, temporarily loosening her hold and darted in front of the Bishop. The gloved hand landed in the centre of his stomach, causing him to be thrown backward, knocking Gildarts and the guards that held him to the ground.

"I thought I told you to stay out of my way!" the Bishop roared, releasing another black lightning attack into the Angel's body.

This time, the Angel's body convulsed with the influx of lightning. He cried out as he forced himself to get up off the ground, the lightning in his own body leaping from his skin wildly.

The Bishop abandoned his stand-off with Gildarts, who now fighting consciousness on the ground. He released another full voltage attack on the Angel, roaring with rage. The Angel skirted around the men he was trying to protect, heading for the opposite end of the room.

"He's trying to move them away from us," Natsu whispered, his eyes widening as he realized every guard but the ones restraining Natsu and Gildarts were all preparing attacks on the Angel.

"Leave him alone!" Gildarts yelled, staggering to his feet.

Natsu cringed as one of the guards struck Gildarts from behind, sending him back to his knees. Natsu struggled harder against his guards.

The Angel was backed into a corner, withstanding attack after attack from the guards and the Bishop. There were several different kinds of attacks – and they were released so quickly, Natsu couldn't even discern what kind of attacks they were. The red-headed secretary still had a hold on him, even as he launched counter-attacks around her restraints. All he knew was that the Angel was sorely outnumbered, regardless of the power and damage his lightning strikes were causing. As the demons were struck, some of them were staying down. And yet, the attackers seemed endless. Natsu still had no idea what was going on, but the Angel was in serious trouble. As was Gildarts. Natsu could feel the burn in the pit of his churning stomach.

"I'm going to overload your body with electricity, Angel!" the Bishop shouted, releasing another black lightning attack, "Prepare to die!"

Natsu's eyes glazed over. He was getting weary of being restrained.

* * *

Dr. Porlyusica ran her finger under her chin, blinking her eyes as she looked at the x-rays again.

"I don't believe it," she said in awe.

She stood up from the desk, meandering slowly back to the room where Lark and Lucy waited. Romeo remained in the waiting room.

"You were right, Lark," she said, "I don't know how or why…but the tear in the muscles of your shoulder is completely repaired. The bone has set. You do not need another cast."

Lark shot Lucy an I-told-you-so glare. Lucy simply sighed with relief.

Dr. Porlyusica ran her fingers over Lark's forehead scar again, then over the surgical stitches that _should_ be making a scar, but was already disappearing into his flawless skin.

"Care to explain yourself?" she demanded sharply.

Lark shrugged, "I'm young, so I heal fast?"

Dr. Porlyusica sent him a glare that killed any sassiness remaining in Lark's attitude, "Your injuries were life-threatening only a week ago, Larcade. One does not almost rip their arm from its socket and have complete healing only 2 weeks in. I was damned sure you'd have neurological damage for the rest of your life."

Lark swallowed, edging slightly closer to Lucy, but when he saw the look in Lucy's eyes, he wondered if he was better off closer to the doctor.

"I can't explain it," Dr. Porlyusica sighed, "There is no medical explanation for this at all."

"Can we go then?" Lark asked, jumping on the examination bed.

"There's no reason to hold you," the doctor sighed, "I would remain cautious, young man. Don't go turning cartwheels anytime soon…and stay off that damned skateboard!"

Lark nodded, already heading for the door.

Lucy bowed slightly, "I appreciate your seeing us privately so we didn't have to wait. Thank you."

Dr. Porlyusica was still frowning, "I'm baffled. There is no way it should be healed."

Lucy looked down at her hands, shifting uncomfortably, "I know. I don't understand either."

"Keep him out of trouble," the doctor snapped.

Lucy nodded, still seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

"You're about as bright as that kid of yours. Do I have to spell it out for you? That means get the hell out of my office!" Dr. Porlyusica ordered, pointing at the door.

Lucy jumped, scrambling for the door.

Dr. Porlyusica sighed as the door shut behind Lucy. She made her way back to the other room where the x-rays were still displayed.

 _It just didn't make sense._

Outside the office, Lucy could hear Lark talking to Romeo in the waiting room. She slid down against the door, still dumbfounded at what had just happened. Too many things were happening all at once. Daisuke and Cana were still missing. She hadn't seen her husband in what seemed like days. Her house was filled with extra people…and now her son, who she'd been worried about losing only last week, was completely healed. She was glad Lark was okay, but she couldn't dismiss the odd development.

"Lucy?" Romeo's voice asked, "Are you okay?"

Lucy looked up, noticing suddenly that Romeo was right in front of her. His hand was extended to her. Lark was standing right behind him.

"Yeah," she responded finally after a long moment.

She accepted Romeo's help to get to her feet, then padded after them quietly as they exited the hospital. She knew that Romeo and Lark were talking, but she didn't hear a word. She was completely lost in her own thoughts.

* * *

"It was up here," Mary told the girls. They were approaching an old apartment building on the opposite side of town of the Dragneel residence.

"Are you sure?" Aki asked, glancing up the building. It was run-down. A chill ran down her spine. It gave her the creeps.

"Yeah – outside this building!" Mary replied, slowing her speed to a walk.

"What were you doing on this side of town in the first place?" Sora asked as she too eyed the building.

"My dad…" Mary replied, "He had a job here. A water main broke."

Sora and Aki caught each others' eyes, both expressing the same doubt and concern. The building looked deserted…and there was no evidence of water damage.

"I'm sure it was just a coincidence," Sora said, backing up a few steps.

"And I bet Yuka and Toby aren't here anymore," Aki added, joining her friend in her retreat.

They both felt the chill sweep down their backs as Mary turned. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

"Oh c'mon, you chickens!" Mary scolded, reaching out. She grabbed a hand from each of them, tugging them toward the building, "We'll just do a quick check."

The feeling of dread passed through Sora again. She ripped her hand out of Mary's grasp, yanking Aki backward at the same time.

"We said no," she stated, "We're going to stick to our original plan and go to the school."

Mary's mouth gaped open, "But Toby and Yuka…"

"They weren't here," Aki interjected, "And if they were, they aren't now."

Both girls turned, heading back toward town. Mary frowned again, reaching into her pocket. Suddenly both girls froze in their tracks. Aki's leg was still raised in mid-step. Sora's eyes darted over to her friend, her eyes wide.

"S-Sora…" Aki stuttered, "I can't move."

The other girl grunted, obviously trying to struggle to move as well. Mary walked around them, slapping a stick that looked remarkably like a claw into one hand. Her bangs hooded her eyes as she stopped in from of them, her smile only just visible.

She lifted her eyes slowly. Aki and Sora both screamed as they saw the black gleam in Mary's eyes flash before them.

* * *

Jiggle had managed to find himself some broccoli in the small kitchenette in his hotel room. He practically inhaled it. The police department sandwich had been a long time ago…and he'd been starving.

His stomach satisfied for the time being, Jiggle headed straight back out to the pavement to begin his next endeavour – check in with the Church for orders.

He grabbed his cell phone off the small desk. He had left without it the night before once he knew the location he was expected to report at for the attack on Daisuke. While he'd known the kid would be attacked, for some reason he hadn't thought about being the fall guy. He didn't know much about the people that had hired him, but he knew they considered his powers mediocre at best. They hadn't taken him on the mission for his talent…they just needed him to be the scapegoat.

Flipping the cell phone open, he noted that there was already a text from the Church.

 _We have another mission for you…dispose of the evidence at the 'house'. Reward: $5,000.00. …but the filing cabinet must be completely destroyed._

Jiggle's eyes turned to dollar signs. With that kind of money, he wouldn't have to worry about food this month. It would be a difficult endeavour. He'd overheard conversation this morning at the station that the cops were all over that house. But perhaps they hadn't managed to snag the cabinet yet.

He was so lost in thought that at first, he didn't see the bald man standing behind the door. The subsequent loud cry alerted Jiggle to the fact that he'd just smacked someone.

"I'm fine!" the man exclaimed, "I'm not hurt!"

Jiggle snorted, "I wasn't asking. It's your own fault for being so close to the door."

He glanced at the other man, recognizing him as the man with the thick orange hair. They were the men that had been released from the police department at the same time he had.

"So sorry!" the bald man expressed.

The bald man bowed, immediately blushing as he passed air.

Jiggle's eyes lit up.

"You were released from the police station this morning," he stated, looking over the men, "And didn't you say you don't have a boss anymore?"

"He'll be going to the Big House for awhile," the orange haired man replied, "He landed himself a jail sentence in a prison for meeeen."

Jiggle felt a smile pulling on the corners of his mouth, "Gentlemen…how would like you like to become my lackeys?"

The three men exchanged glances, the bald man's eyes lighting up, "You'll hire us?"

Jiggle nodded slowly, "The mission I just received from my employers gave me a job that will pay me 5,000 jewels. I'll split the reward with you, half and half."

Both men nodded enthusiastically.

"Good," Jiggle beamed, "Then come back into my apartment with me. I have some extra stealthy suits in my closet that will guarantee we won't be detected. Don't tell me your names…until I know if this is a one-time job together, it's better that we don't give any personal information."

He paused, glancing between the two of them.

"You!" he announced suddenly, pointing directly at the orange-haired man, "You shall be Lackey A. Which means _you_ are Lackey B!"

He shifted his point to the second man.

"And me?" he drawled as they approached his bedroom inside the house.

Jiggle dug through the closet, finally emerging with 3 black body suits.

"You can just me 'boss'."

* * *

Lark exited the car as soon as it stopped on the Dragneel property, going straight into the house to tell his siblings he was cast-free.

Lucy let out a deep sigh, reaching for the door handle until she felt Romeo hand on her arm. She turned, meeting his concerned eyes.

"Are you okay, Lucy?" he asked.

She offered him a feeble smile, "Yeah. I'll be okay. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, that's all. There's too much going on…too much happening that I can't explain…and I haven't seen my husband in a couple days."

He nodded, "I have to report to Fairy Tail for tonight's duty…but don't hesitate to call if you need anything."

"I won't," she promised.

"Do you mind if I talk to Lark now?" Romeo asked.

Lucy shook her head, gesturing for him to follow her inside.

Laki had the kids sitting in the living room, watching a movie together.

"I'm glad Lark's okay," she said softly.

Laki's eyes were still troubled, but Lucy thanked the Heavens her kids hadn't driven her insane.

"Me too," Lucy replied, heading to the fridge to decide what they'd feed the kids tonight for supper.

She paused, glancing over the living room again. There were too few bodies. Lark was sitting in the arm chair, Brielle cuddled into his healed arm. Connor, Mieske, Megumi, and Hansuke shared the couch while the twins lay on the floor on one of the mattresses.

"Hey Lark?" Romeo asked, "Can I have a minute?"

Lark nodded, moving Brielle a bit so that he could get up and follow Romeo.

"Laki…where are Sora and Aki?" Lucy queried.

Both Romeo and Lark paused, watching Laki and Lucy.

Laki gestured toward Aki's room, "They've been in Aki's room. I checked on them earlier. It was quiet in there, but there was music playing, so I figured they probably needed some time alone.

Lucy nodded her thanks, going down the hallway anyway to check on them for herself. She knocked on the door and waited. The music still played, but there was no movement.

Frowning, she opened the door. All the colour drained from her face as she realized the room was empty.

She'd dialed Natsu's number before she even realized she'd taken out her cell phone, cursing when it went straight to voicemail.

"They're not here!" she called out to Laki, stomping to the living room door. She dialed Sting's number. It also went straight to voicemail.

Laki started to tremble, guilt washing over her face as Lucy threw the patio doors open, calling the nearest cops to her.

Romeo ran to the patio doors, calling for the police officers stationed outside.

Laki forced herself to move, checking every room down the hallway as Lucy spoke to the cops outside.

 _How had they gotten past her?_

The Dragneel kids and Megumi glanced up from their movie, all of them cringing at the same time. Their world had been complete chaos as of late…what could possibly be going on now?

Lark glanced back at the panic-stricken Lucy and Laki, bolting to the door to follow Romeo.

* * *

"What is this?" Aki demanded, trying to struggle. Her body was completely frozen and unable to move.

Mary's back was to them. She turned slowly, a wicked smile on her face as her purple hair faded and altered to a man's cut. Both Sora and Aki stared as she clapped a claw-like branch in her hand.

"Let's talk inside, shall we?" she asked.

She was transforming as she walked, altering between the form they knew as Mary, and a man. Both Sora and Aki's legs started walking.

"What the hell?" Aki cried out, "Sora, I'm not following her purposely!"

"I know!" Sora yelled back, "She has control of our bodies!"

"How in the hell is this even possible?" Aki shouted, "Mary! What are you doing?"

Mary had pulled them into the main lobby of the abandoned apartment building, a sadistic grin on her face.

"We need to talk," she told them, "You know I was outside that house, compelling you to leave for almost 2 hours? Took you long enough."

"What are talking about?" Aki demanded, her eyes as wide as saucers.

Sora's eyes showed fear, but she was much calmer than Aki. Mary was beginning to see where she'd need to direct her interrogation.

"I need answers about the identity of Larcade Dragneel…And you're going to give them to me!"

"My brother?" Aki scoffed, "What could you possibly need to know about Lark?"

"I need to know about his abilities," Mary told them flat out. She was solidly Mary again.

Neither Aki nor Sora had time to question how she was able to alter her form, but the wheels in Sora's head were beginning to turn. This was no Angel...but if Angels existed, then so did..

She shifted uncomfortably, knowing for sure now that they were in a very bad situation.

"You're crazy!" Aki shouted, "Lark is just Lark – there's nothing different about him!"

"Is that so?" Mary taunted, her eyes staring at Sora.

Sora's face drained of colour.

"You know something," Mary quipped. She sauntered up to Sora, looking her up and down.

Her eyes were dark and pupil-less. Sora didn't try to divert the stare. She felt a push, remembering Lark's description of how Angels had abilities. Whatever Mary's true identity was, she was almost certain they were being coerced. Aki didn't know anything...maybe Sora could save her.

"I'll tell you," Sora said quietly. The fear clouded her eyes, but she stood her ground, narrowing them in challenge at Mary.

"SORA!" Aki yelled. She had no idea what Sora knew, but she definitely didn't their so-called friend should find out.

" _IF_ you let Aki go," Sora seethed.

Mary cocked her head, contemplating the ultimatum. The Church was running short on time. The people of Magnolia were asking too many questions in the last day. If she got her affirmative answer, they could move on to the next step.

"Alright," Mary said finally, her face turning devious.

"Alive!" Sora demanded, "I'll go with you if you let Aki go _alive_. She doesn't know anything...you have no use for her."

Aki's eyes widened with fright, "What the hell, Sora? I'm not leaving you!"

Mary glanced at Aki, considering her options. If she let Aki go, she'd go straight for help. She couldn't chance that. She turned, releasing an energy ball that sent Aki careening backward. Aki's eyes rolled back as she slumped, then fell to the ground.

"AKI!" Sora screamed.

Mary turned back to Sora, her sadistic grin widening as she moved the stick in her hand again, "She's fine. Let's go."

Sora watched her friend as Mary forced her out the door again. Once they were outside the building, Mary turned, throwing a second energy ball to the top floor of the apartment building. It exploded into fire, the top floors immediately aflame.

"An insurance policy that you'll talk," she told Sora, "You don't want your friend to die."

Sora had no choice. Whatever Mary was controlling her body with steered her away from the apartment building. Tears rolled down her cheeks as Mary guided her toward the forest, leaving the building Aki lay unconscious in to burn.

* * *

Yuka was back against the wall with Toby, Cana having moved to check on Daisuke's wounds again. Toby snored softly. He'd had an emotional afternoon…and it had taken its' toll. He watched her tear a piece of her capris off to dab some of the wounds' blood off. Her movements were gentle and loving. Once again, Yuka felt a streak of jealously plow through him. He couldn't remember the last time someone had been that caring toward him. Daisuke had no idea how good he had it.

Cana could see the fatigue setting into Daisuke's eyes too. She removed her shirt, leaving her in her bikini top and encouraged him to lay down with it as a pillow. Daisuke complied, too tired to argue with her.

"Do you have kids?" Yuka asked as Cana settled back against the wall with Daisuke.

She shook her head, "I'm not the type who would do well as a mother."

Yuka let out a small scoff, "Could've fooled me. You were incredible with Toby…and now with Daisuke."

"Daisuke is like a nephew to me," Cana told him, "And Toby needed help. Just because I'm good with people doesn't mean I'd be a good mother."

Yuka shrugged. What did he know about mothers anyway?

"I wanted kids," Cana admitted softly, "A long time ago in my early 20's. I wanted two."

"What happened?" Yuka asked.

She caught his eye, holding his gaze for a minute, "My dad wasn't there for me as a child. He left my mother before I was born. She struggled to provide for me, then died when I was 14. I thought about having kids of my own…but then I thought, what's the point? I grew up in a single-parent home…and then with no parents at all. I like to drink. I threw myself into my career as a counsellor, taking every course I could. I'm married to my work…and my relationship is to a man who may or may not care about me. We have fun together, but I don't think there's any real depth to our relationship. Did I really want to bring a child into that kind of lifestyle?"

She shrugged, laughing lightly to herself.

"When I was about 16, I found out where my old man was," she reminisced, "So I moved to Magnolia, thinking things would be completely different for me here."

"Were they?" Yuka asked.

She nodded, "Not for the better…at least at first. I worked at a restaurant called 8-Island, mostly because I could drink to my heart's content. I had a wild lifestyle…with a lot of boyfriends and a lot of drinking."

"What happened?"

She smiled at him, thankful that he was finally starting to let his walls down. He was genuinely interested in her story. That was a very good sign.

"My boss, Juvia, happened," she told him, "Juvia was more than a boss. She was a fantastic friend. She invited my dad to the restaurant one night, knowing I was working, then coerced him into staying after hours. She told me I was done for the night, then pointed him out to me. He was sitting at a table by himself with a box of chocolates and some flowers."

Cana shook her head, still smiling at the memory.

"She told me I was too important to waste my life partying. I needed to find my niche in this world…and the first step was getting to know my father."

"Let me guess," Yuka interjected, scoffing, "You sat down with him, you made up and everything suddenly became peachy-keen."

She shook her head, "Life doesn't work like that, Yuka. Life doesn't just hand you a better deal one day and say 'thanks for your patience'. You have to decide you want the change and you have to _work_ for it."

Yuka regarded her quietly, waiting for her to go on.

"What _actually_ happened, was I marched out to the table and told my dad it was too little too late," she told him, "I told him that while chugging back a mickey of rum, right in front of him."

She laughed to herself.

"And then Juvia lost it on me. She told me how selfish I was – feeling sorry for myself all the time. She had had a hard life too, coming from literally nothing. But she worked hard to get herself out of her circumstances…and she would stand by me if I chose to do the same...and so would my father. We didn't make up that night, but it got me thinking. Eventually, I called Gildarts and I let him take me to lunch. And then it became a regular thing. It was a slow progression, but we have a father-daughter relationship. Juvia saved me. She gave me a purpose other than to party my life away. She gave me back my dad...and eventually motivated me to go into my career...even though she would never seen what she helped me to become..."

Yuka had an expression of awe on his face.

"Juvia died before all my changes took place," Cana said sadly, a tear glistening in her eye, "It was a dramatic death I'll have to tell you about another time…but it was her death that made me realize I wanted more out of life than to drink it away. She left a legacy…people adored her. She had spent her adult life helping every person she met. I wanted that. I stayed with the 8-Island crew and went to school…and became what I am today. It wasn't easy. I cried so many times, wanting to quit school. But it was the best thing I ever did for myself. It was then that I realized I didn't want to bring another child into this world. I wanted to help fix situations for the people that already existed. And that's what I've done."

"Wow," Yuka said softly, watching Cana wipe the solitary tear off her face.

"It's easy to get drawn into bad things when you're born into a hard situation," she told him, "But there's always a way if you look. Juvia was and always will be my inspiration."

She smiled at him, sniffing back the tears that wanted to come.

"Not all of us will get a saviour like that," Yuka said in a low voice.

Cana shook her head, "I disagree. Opportunities present themselves. But you have to be willing to the take that chance."

Yuka laid down on his side, signifying that the conversation was over without another word.

Cana smiled to herself, laying down beside Daisuke.

"I miss you, Juvia," she whispered.

She closed her eyes, instantly drifting off to sleep.

On the other side of the room, Yuka listened to the sleeping sounds of the three other people in the room. He would not be sleeping anytime soon. He knew he and Toby were on a destructive path…one that drew them deeper and deeper into criminal life. There seemed to be no escape for them. He was terrified of what would happen when their employers came back to the cell to find out Toby and Yuka hadn't been able to withdraw _any_ information from their prisoners.

Good things didn't happen for Yuka or Toby. They were destined to live in fear like this…taking dangerous work that could get them into a lot of trouble just to survive. There were no options for them. He signed heavily, rolling onto his back.

But he couldn't help thinking about Cana's story.

And he couldn't help that he was starting to _like_ her as a person.

Plus, he couldn't help that there was a small part of him…praying for a saviour for him and Toby too.

* * *

At the police station, Bacchus paced the front desk. He'd been there all night after being sent home from the investigation to sleep. He couldn't sleep...he _knew_ that. And yet that cocky father of Cana's was allowed to join the investigation...even though he was retired.

He 'got' that Gildarts wasn't fond of him. He said Bacchus wasn't motivated enough and was content to drink Cana's fortune away, despite the fact that Bacchus most certainly had his own money. Nonetheless, he had no doubt it had been Gildarts that had grounded him from continuing to search for Cana and Daisuke.

He wondered if it had ever occurred to Gildarts just how much Bacchus actually loved his daughter. He was free-spirited. He didn't believe in making Cana accountable to him...but that didn't mean he didn't love her. His guts were turning inside him just as much as Gildarts' were...they both loved her. And while it was true that Bacchus was not a cop, he still needed to be out there.

He glanced up, realizing that Sting's wife, Yukino, was staring at him. He nodded his greeting, coming to a halt in front of her.

"You must be exhausted," Yukino said sympathetically, "Do you want to join me in the kitchen for a coffee?"

Bacchus nodded gratefully, "Thank you."

Just as they were turning to head to the lunchroom, Evergreen's voice came over the speaker, "All available officers - the Chief requests back up at the Church of Alvarez immediately. Two officers inside. Rogue and Sting are already en route. Consider this call extremely dangerous and proceed with absolute caution!"

Yukino's smile faded as she glanced back to Bacchus, "I'm sorry - kitchen is that way. I have to go."

"Yukino!" Bacchus grabbed her arm, "Please...I know Natsu and Gildarts went there to try to get answers. Please. I need to come. I can't sit here anymore."

The desperation on his face gnawed at her conscious.

She nodded, running for her squad car, followed by about a dozen other officers. Bacchus didn't even question getting into the back seat of the car while Yukino's partner took the front. The sirens wailed as Yukino pulled from the parking lot, leading the squadron toward the Church.

* * *

The building was fully engulfed now. Firetrucks were beginning to arrive. The neighbourhood was already largely abandoned, so there weren't a lot of onlookers. Firefighters called to each other, rolling out their hoses to begin battling the blaze.

A little old man carried Aki Dragneel away from the fire through the forest at a breakneck pace. He thought about turning her over to the fire crews to get her some help, but he could heal her damage himself. Plus, if he took the time to turn her over, he would lose the trail Mary and Sora left in their wake.

The other Angels were busy at the moment, on their way to deal with the threat at the Church. He prayed protection overtop of them, doubling his efforts to maneuver as quickly through the forest as possible.

There was no way he would let anything happen to Sora or Aki. And he was getting really, really tired of the pain and suffering his children were enduring.

Makarov Dreyar was _pissed._

* * *

Laxus knew he was in trouble. His body stung as demon after demon charged him, leaving wounds. One demon that just wouldn't go down used a toxic slime of some sort. Laxus's thigh had a nasty area that was slowly burning away. Another shot fire at him. Laxus had managed to knock him away, but he was back…amongst the other dozen demons. Laxus had lost track of how many he'd been fighting.

"Come on, you sons-of-bitches!" he yelled, releasing a widespread attack.

Two more demons down, anyway. He wasn't making any headway. He knew the Bishop's black lightning was more than just black lightning. It was sucking his power away, weakening him like a poison.

Out of his peripheral vision, he could see Gildarts was in big trouble too. The Bishop was relentless, pounding him over and over again. Natsu was screaming, struggling against the guards that still restrained him.

In place of the demons he'd just neutralized, Flare had stepped up again.

"You just don't back off, do you?" he yelled.

She grinned, a lopsided smile if he'd ever seen one. She was extremely creepy with her odd-shaped eyes and drunken posture.

"You won't win!" she taunted, "The Bishop is wearing your friend down. He's going to get what he wants!"

"What the hell is he after?" Laxus demanded, releasing a barrage of lightning bolts at her.

She fended them off with her hair, then counter-attacked, wrapping her hair around all four of his limbs, then yanking him so that he stood right in front of her.

He struggled, more hair crawling overtop of his shoulders and forehead to hold him in place.

Flare brought her face right into Laxus's, grinning like the insane woman she was. She licked his cheek, then pulled back slightly.

"Look at him," she urged, running her hands up and down his biceps before turning his head with her hair.

Natsu screamed, diverting Laxus's attention. He looked to be in dire pain. His eyes were glowing red now. The guards were having trouble holding him, beckoning for help from the other demons.

That was no possession. Natsu was actually turning…

"The Bishop's trying to turn Natsu into a demon?" Laxus demanded, turning back to Flare.

She giggled, tightening her hair restraints so that they started constricting the blood flowing to his limbs.

"No, stupid," she hissed, "He doesn't have to _turn_ anything…all he has to do is release him."

The blood in Laxus's body ran cold as he stared in disbelief. Natsu's eyes were turning from red to black. Laxus remembered the innocent _Angel of Oops_ clearly in his head. There was no way he could also have demon blood…so how was this possible?

"Where in the hell are you, Mavis?" he cried out loud as he released voltage directly into Flare through her hair.

"RELEASE YOURSELF!" the Bishop was screaming at Natsu, "LET THE ANGER GUIDE YOU HERE!"

Flare's hair was starting to constrict his chest, despite the steady current Laxus poured through the strands. Gildarts let out an agonized screech before thudding to the ground.

Flare screeched, the electricity finally started to get to her. In response, she constricted Laxus's airways even tighter.

The flashes of light blinded the room, grinding it to a complete halt.

When the light died down, Laxus sighed with relief, using the distraction to expel Flare from his body with a huge lightning ball. Mavis, Erik and Jellal stood back-to-back, their eyes gleaming with the anger they felt at the obvious devastation Gildarts, Laxus, and Natsu had all sustained.

Jellal broke off from the ground, shooting light beams out of his hands to knock the guards off Gildarts. He pulled him to the corner of the room, shielding him with his body as the remaining guards shot after him.

Laxus had stumbled after ridding himself of Flare, falling to his knees to try to catch his breath. Erik went straight to work going after Laxus's guards, coating himself in a substance from the pores of his skin.

"What _is_ that?" one of the demons yelled at him as Erik expelled the small sacs toward him.

"It's poison," Erik told him, his voice heavy with the anger he felt, "At least to demons it is."

The demon screeched, dissolving into thin air. Erik turned, glowering at the other demons threatening Laxus.

The Bishop had forgotten both Gildarts and Natsu, facing off with Mavis. Her eyes were narrowed, staring the much-larger man down.

"I told you not to mess with them," Mavis told the Bishop in a low, dangerous voice, "But now you've really _pissed me off!_ "

The Bishop's eyes widened at her choice of words, cringing slightly as her entire body started to glow.

"I warned you!" she bellowed, a wind, charged with lightning, whipped around the room with increasing speed.

Erik was pulling Laxus to a corner of the room, Jellal working to see if he could wake Gildarts. Natsu was still restrained by his guards. He was breathing heavily, his eyes a solid red.

" _Arch-Bishop of the Church of Alvarez,"_ Mavis thundered, her voice echoing throughout the entire building, " _You are hereby judged by the Daughter of Heaven!"_

She roared as she released a barrage of light attacks, vanquishing every demon it hit as she strolled toward the Bishop.

Her eyes met Flare's, the red-headed demon cocking her head almost sideways as she regarded the new entry.

"What are you looking at?" Mavis mumbled, casting a light beam at her. Flare screeched like a banshee as she flew backward with the impact.

The Bishop was shaking. He'd fallen backward and was trying scurry out of her way. The bright light Mavis emitted blinded the entire room. The screams of the demons could be heard, but Mavis kept coming. Jellal and Laxus were back in the fray, eliminating demons as they hurried to get to Natsu. Natsu was non-stop screaming now, sweat pouring off his brow as bulges started protruding from his forehead. Something was trying to emerge.

The Bishop pulled himself together, using his black lightning to counter-attack against Mavis. Every bolt that threatened to reach her dissolved around her, absorbed in a force field of some sort.

"I'm only going to ask you one more time," she said in a low, deadly tone, "Where are Cana and Daisuke?"

She was breathing hard as she came to a stop, mere inches from the demon's nose. The Bishop fell backward, cowering as she lit her hands again.

Behind her, Jellal and Erik both took on Flare, dodging her wild hair as she recovered from her position on the floor. Her eyes were wild with rage. Despite her constant stumbling, she was remarkably accurate with her aim. Mavis took no notice of the battle, concentrating her glare upon the Bishop.

"I'd rather die than betray my master," the Bishop spat.

"That can be arranged," Mavis growled, lifting her hands.

There was a loud crash at the front doors, followed by the unmistaken sound of multiple people thundering down the hall.

"Aw shit!" Erik mumbled, "More demons?"

"MAGNOLIA POLICE DEPARTMENT!" Rogue yelled as they banged at the still locked entrance, "We're coming through!"

There was a loud thud at the door.

The Bishop grinned, snapping his fingers. Instantly, Flare and every other demon in the room disappeared.

Mavis sighed, knowing the Angels had no choice either.

"Angels – we're pulling out!" Mavis announced.

"What about Laxus and Gildarts?" Jellal asked.

The banging on the door intensified. The cops were almost through.

She glanced backward, noting the severity of their injuries, "We'll take Laxus. Gildarts' colleagues will get him the help he needs."

There was a flash of light as the Angels disappeared.

Natsu had fallen to the ground, blinking with utter confusion. All signs of the red eyes were gone. His breathing was heavy too as he tried to comprehend where he was and what was happening. He didn't remember anything after walking through the doors. Gildarts was unconscious in the corner. Both Bacchus and Yukino went straight to him.

The door burst open, cops barrelling through the broken door. Some headed straight to Gildarts, others to Natsu.

"What in the hell happened in here?" Sting demanded.

Natsu shook his head as other officers helped him off the ground, "I...don't even know…"

"Gildarts needs an ambulance!" Bacchus yelled, whipping out his cell phone.

"Natsu...what happened?" Sting asked again, helping him up, "Did you lose control again?"

Natsu shook his head, "I don't _think_ so..."

"Well, someone did!" Sting exclaimed, horrified at the condition of the room.

"Sting! Look at this!" Rogue yelled.

Both Sting and Natsu rushed to the desk where Rogue was examining the paper with the kids' pictures on it…and a newly handwritten note.

"What the hell is this?" Sting asked.

Rogue had tears cascading down his face as he read it again – to be completely sure.

Mavis watched from the shadows of the room as the officers gathered around the desk, all straining to see the paper in question. Natsu rubbed his head, still trying to get his bearings.

"It's a map," Rogue said simply, unable to finish his sentence.

It had been the Bishop's last move, forced by Mavis's special ability…Mavis had taken a snapshot of the Bishop's thoughts and transposed it to the paper… the area where Cana Alberona and Daisuke Cheney were being held. Unfortunately, there hadn't been time to narrow it further than that. But at least they'd be in the right vicinity.

And right in the middle of the map was Toby and Yuka's old, cluttered house.

"We missed something at the house," Rogue said under his breath, "They were there the whole time…"

Sting was already on the radio, screaming out for every available officer.

"Thank you," Rogue whispered, glancing up at the ceiling, "Thank you, Mavis."

Beside him, Natsu shook off his confusion over the events of the past several moments, watching his friend come undone at the prospect of finding their lost family members.

Even Bacchus had teared up. He had Gildarts' head on his lap.

"Hear that, old man?"

Yukino glanced at Sting and Rogue, "Should we tell Lucy and Laki?"

Sting shook his head, "Not yet."

Natsu shook off the last of his confusion, refocusing on the new task at hand. He pounded a fist into his hand, "Let's go get them back."


	26. Chapter 26

The Angels appeared inside the Redfox attic, barely noticing the sleeping Angels beside them as they burst into a flurry of activity. Mavis hurried ahead, clearing a bed in the corner. Erik and Jellal each had one of Laxus's arms over their shoulders. They lowered him to the bed, noting the sick, grayish tone to his skin. None of the other Angels stirred at all.

"What's wrong with him?" Jellal asked as Laxus groaned.

He looked to be in severe pain. Despite the obvious flesh wounds afflicted by the demons, black lightning-like bolts scurried across his skin. Each bolt sent another shockwave of pain through Laxus's system.

"He's been poisoned by whatever attack the Bishop was using," Mavis said under her breath.

"What do we do?" Jellal asked worriedly, his eyes wide as Laxus let out an agonized scream, "Wendy won't be awake for a couple hours yet."

"I can try to suck the poison out with my ability," Erik suggested.

Mavis nodded, stepping back to give Erik a chance to perform his miracle. He laid his hands on Laxus, closing his eyes to concentrate. Erik's hands began to glow black as the black lightning started traveling from Laxus's body to Erik's hands. The closer it got to his hands, the more Erik struggled. Pain started radiating up through his wrists.

"Stop!" Mavis demanded, noting the grayish colour his hands were turning.

Erik strained, grunting out the pain as he doubled his efforts.

"Erik!" Mavis pushed between Erik and Laxus, severing the connection.

Erik fell backward, breathing hard.

"What the hell just happened?" Jellal queried.

"The poison in Laxus is trying to transfer to Erik," Mavis said, "And if Erik keeps going, the poison will only spread to him more. He won't nullify the poison...it will absorb him. I've seen this ability before, but only once. Laxus cannot expel the poison. It needs to be contained and healed from the inside."

"So, Wendy's ability should work?" Erik asked, "Do we wake her? She'll need more sleep!"

Mavis glanced from Laxus to Wendy, who was sleeping peacefully on her bed, oblivious to the turmoil beside them.

"He'll die if we don't," Jellal decided for them, crossing the room to Wendy's side.

He shook her gently, then harder, glancing back at Mavis when she didn't even flinch.

"I induced the sleep," Mavis told him, "For their teachings to absorb completely, it was necessary."

"So, we can't wake her?" Erik held Laxus down with one hand as he let out an agonized yell in his sleep.

Mavis shook her head, concern clouding her face, "We have no choice but to wait until Wendy wakes on her own."

"Can't _you_ heal him?" Jellal demanded, watching Laxus struggle with another bout of pain.

Mavis knelt beside the bed, her hands lighting up, "I'll try. But I haven't honed healing abilities like Wendy has...not for something as complicated at this. Plus, I healed Lark earlier. I'm not sure if I have enough left in me to help much. I am the Daughter Angel…but I'm not God. Even I have limitations. Maybe what I have left will help him out until Wendy wakes up."

Jellal and Erik paced the room nervously, anxiety overtaking them. They knew they had to get back to their wards to check on them. Those demons were still out there and it seemed like time was running out.

* * *

The officers at the Dragneel house were headed to the front of the house quickly, shouting to each other as Romeo – Lark tagging close behind him – hurried to catch up.

"Yo, Alzack!" Romeo grabbed the man's arm as he passed, "What in the hell is going on?"

"We've had contact with Sting and Rogue," Alzack told him, "They found something and are requesting every available officer to respond."

"What about the Dragneels?" Romeo asked, gesturing to the house behind him.

Alzack pointed toward a group of officers, huddled together with Vijeeter for their instructions.

"Those men are staying behind."

"Only six?" Lark asked.

Alzack nodded, "We gotta go. Lark, you should go back to the house. Coming, Romeo?"

"Aki and Sora aren't inside," Romeo blurted out, halting the activity around him.

"What do you mean Aki and Sora aren't inside?" Evergreen demanded, striding towards them across the grassy lawn.

"Exactly what I said," Romeo repeated, " _Aki and Sora are not inside_. They must've taken off, because they are _not_ in that house!"

"Shit," Alzack placed his head down for a minute, contemplating his next move, "Okay…I'll tell the chief. Heads are gonna roll now once Gajeel and Natsu find out. We better hope this lead pans out and the girls haven't gone far."

"Go back to the house," Evergreen ordered Lark, turning to go to her car.

"Wait! What's the lead?" Lark demanded, "Please!"

The officers glanced at each other, silently agreeing to keep it quiet until something actually happened. They continued to their vehicles, leaving Romeo and Lark alone.

"Go," Romeo told him, "We'll let you know what's going on as soon as we know."

Lark hung his head dejectedly, furious that he was being left out again.

Two squad cars were already pulling away, sirens wailing. More cars were loading.

"Listen, Lark," Romeo said, "I don't know everything that's going on…but I know about the Angels and that we're possibly facing demons out there…I wanted to talk to you about it, but now is not the time…Just go back to the house. I'll look for Aki and Sora and come back later, okay?"

Lark's mouth hung open, shocked at the new revelation.

"Romeo!" Alzack shouted, "You coming?"

"I know what happened 16 years ago," Romeo told him, "And I have no doubt the Angels are still protecting us. Right now, your job is to protect everyone waiting in that house. Can you do that?"

Lark's head was spinning as he watched Romeo's face, "What happened 16 years ago?" he asked.

"We'll talk about that later," Romeo promised, "Will you keep everyone here safe?"

Lark nodded slowly.

Romeo reached into his pocket, pulling the blue cellular device he'd found in the forest, "Have you ever seen something like this before?"

Lark took the device, turning it in his fingers before shaking his head.

"I found it where Daisuke was taken," Romeo told him, "It's not Daisuke's – we already have his phone. I'm wondering if it belongs to one of 'your friends'."

Lark's eyes widened, "You mean you think it's one of the Angels'?"

Romeo shook his head, "I don't know. I was hoping you could tell me. Hold onto it. Maybe you can ask the next Angel you see."

"Romeo!" Evergreen yelled, "Last chance! If you're coming, get your ass over here now! If you're staying, get Lark back into the house!"

Romeo sighed heavily, "I gotta go. I'll catch up to you as soon as I can."

Lark nodded. He'd always had the impression that Romeo didn't think much of him…that he was just a troublemaking teenager. What could possibly have happened that Romeo would suddenly believe Lark could see Angels, let alone trust him with what he'd found?

Lark watched as two more squad cars pulled out of the driveway. Another waited for Romeo, door open and idling. The car wailed away as soon as Romeo's door shut. The six remaining officers gestured toward the house. Lark shook his head, still shocked that Romeo knew anything at all about the Angels.

Lark had sworn he wouldn't tell anyone Aki and Sora had gone to look for Daisuke and Cana on their own…and now that decision was weighing rather heavily on his mind in addition to everything else as his mother paced the house furiously.

His mind was reeling. Were there still Angels around at all? He couldn't sense them…and there were no more signs of Mavis. All his life he wanted to stop seeing the Angels and be normal…but now that they were gone, he felt more alone than ever.

Laki had all the children sitting on the floor of the living room in front of her, willing them to be quiet with her eyes. Her own anxiety was evident on her face and showed in the way she held herself. They stared at Lark as he entered the house, questioning him with their eyes. Something was happening outside…and they all knew it…

"What's going on?" Lucy demanded as he re-entered the room, "Why are the cops leaving?"

"I couldn't get details," Lark told her, "All I know is that they have a lead."

"Thank Mavis!" Laki cried out.

"And what about Aki and Sora?" Lucy queried.

Lark shook his head, "Nobody saw them leave. Romeo is going to tell Sting and Rogue what's going on. They'll all look for them."

"Of all the idiotic things they could have done! _"_ Lucy exclaimed, resuming her pacing, "How could they be so stupid?!"

"They'll be fine!" Lark argued, "They probably just want to help. I've thought about skipping out too."

She glared at him.

"I won't," Lark promised in a much quieter voice, arms raised in submission, "I'll wait it out with all of you. Romeo will get search parties out."

"Levy's going to kill me," Lucy whispered.

"Where _are_ Levy and Gajeel?" Laki asked.

"Gajeel has been on duty at Fairy Tail," Lucy said, going for her cell phone, "And Levy was helping at the station, "but you're right…they need to know Sora is out there."

She paused, listening to Levy's cell ring until it went to voicemail.

"Odd," she lamented, quickly dialing Gajeel's number. It went to voicemail too. Lucy and Laki moved to the corner of the kitchen, whispering to each other.

Lark's gaze landed on the other children, huddled together on the living room floor. Their movie had ended and now they were realizing just how much the adults were stressing out. It crossed Lark's mind that both Gajeel and Levy were Angels too…were they receiving training like Wendy was?

He quivered, glancing out the window at the six officers that had resumed patrolling the Dragneel property, praying for Sora, Aki, Daisuke and Cana's safety.

* * *

"Almost been two weeks, right?" Dan asked as Loke opened the partition to put Dan's supper down.

Loke nodded, eyeing the man suspiciously. Normally at this point, their temporary ward would be busy complaining about something, not asking questions

"Can't wait," Mest harrumphed, "You guys have been a giant pain in our asses."

Dan shook his head, chuckling to himself, "Whatever. I'm sure you're getting paid very well to look after us."

Loke grimaced, then pressed the button, sending the meal inside the cell, "You must be excited – no more solitary confinement."

Dan's face went blank as he contemplated that statement. He would be going back to jail with other inmates, yes…but he had no friends there and his brother was gone, so was he really excited? No. Not really. As much as he hated to admit it, he wondered if the inmate who'd been mocking him was right - Dan hadn't had problems in jail because Samuel had been protecting him. He felt safer in solitary confinement at Fairy Tail. Only he didn't feel safe here either...he wasn't safe anywhere.

Mest and Loke exchanged glances, noting the change on Dan's face.

"Enjoy your meal," Loke said, preparing to hit the button that would seal Dan away.

"He didn't deserve it," Dan stated flatly, halting Loke's movement, "Samuel, I mean…no one deserves to die the way he did."

"No," Mest had to agree, "That was brutal."

"He was an asshole," Dan said, more to himself than Mest or Loke, "But he was my brother…and he was the only one left who gave a rat's ass about me."

"Enjoy your meal," Loke deadpanned, moving to hit the button again.

"We're going to die too," Dan said, again interrupting Loke's attempt at ending the conversation, "Me and Jackal over there."

"What do you mean?" Mest asked slowly.

"Don't you feel it?" Dan asked, gesturing around his cell to the ceiling, "Haven't you felt 'watched' in the past few days? It's only a matter of time...they're coming for us all."

Loke shook his head, stepping backward.

"Goodbye Dan!" Mest slammed his hand down on the button, shutting Dan away from their eyes. Mest couldn't help noticing Loke quiver slightly.

He pushed Loke's shoulder, trying to shake him out of his stupor.

"Don't listen to him, man…you know better than that," Mest scolded, "Dan is always saying shit to try to rile us."

Loke shook his head, glancing back at the door leading downstairs.

"Not this time," Loke told him, "Have you ever seen him so serious before?"

Mest stared at Loke's trouble face, unsure of how to react.

"I _have_ felt it too," Loke said under his breath, turning for the stairs, "The watching…"

He left without another word. Mest glanced at Jackal's tray, shaking his head. If he was honest about it, Mest had felt it too. He'd tried to ignore the ominous feeling.

He shook himself back to reality. Jackal would be hungry. Honestly, the room was starting to give him the heebie-jeebies now too, but he wasn't sure how much of that feeling was psychosomatic.

He put Jackal's tray down on the belt, opening the cell only long enough for the other prisoner to receive his food. He completely ignored the usual taunts, re-sealing the cell as soon as the food was safely on the other side, then scampered down the stairs after his friend.

* * *

"What do you think?" Minerva asked Midnight from the shadows.

They both stared over the empty room. There was no police presence tonight being that every available officer had been dispatched to help follow up on leads from the filing cabinet downstairs.

"I think those other Angels had better wake up soon," Midnight lamented, "Dan was telling the truth. His fear is real. I can't find it, but there's something here. And that Loke guy...and even Mest…they've felt it too. "

Minerva furrowed her brow, checking her watch. By her calculations, there were still a couple hours left before the other Angels would awaken.

* * *

The cellar's occupants had been awake for awhile, but nobody had said anything. There seemed to be nothing much to say. Toby stared at his hands while Yuka appeared to be deep in thought. Cana checked Daisuke's wounds again, not liking the redness of his head wound, nor the deep blue bruising to his side. Daisuke's pain had increased exponentially during the course of his sleep. She hoped the head wound wasn't getting infected, but judging by the thin film of sweat on his face and the redness surrounding the area, she was pretty sure it was. The side of his torso practically screamed broken ribs and/or possible internal bleeding. She muttered a silent prayer again. He needed medical attention soon.

"They're going to kill us, you know," Yuka stated quietly. His voice was even as his statement drew attention from the other three, "We haven't drawn any information from you. They'll kill us. And they'll kill you. Unless you'd like to volunteer something now."

"There's no information to volunteer," Cana told him.

"And even if there was," Daisuke added, cringing as Cana helped him maneuver to the edge of the wall, "We would never tell you."

"Please…" Toby whispered, "We don't want to die."

"Nobody's going to die," Cana promised, "Here's how I see it…you know they're going to be angry about not getting information from us. You have a choice. You can wait to see how they deal with you…alone…or you can work with us and we'll all get out of here together."

"Work with you?" Yuka repeated, "What do you mean?"

"You tell them that we talked," Cana told him, looking him straight in the eye, "Tell them we told you Lark has no special abilities…but you're not going to reveal what you know until all four of us are released with a promise nothing will happen to any of us. You guys too."

Toby and Yuka exchanged glances.

"We'll protect you after that," Cana continued, "We'll use the resources of Fairy Tail to make sure you get the help you need once we're all released."

"As if they'll let us walk without telling them anything," Toby scoffed. His eyes widened, "Which is _nothing_. Yuka's right…they're going to kill us. We're better off telling them you wouldn't talk."

"And then they'll kill you anyway," Daisuke cut in, seething as a jolt of pain passed through his body, "Seriously, you guys…think about what Cana is saying. You tell them we spilled…they won't get information until we're all released. Once we're released, we'll have the police and the Fairy Tail Firm behind us. They won't be able to get to you anymore."

"We'd have to tell them something," Toby said pointedly, "They won't let us go unless they have reason to believe we've told them what they want to hear. They'll kill us – and you – on the sp-"

"So, what is it they want to hear?" Cana interjected.

"Who is Lark Dragneel?" Yuka asked, "Where did he come from? And does he have special abilities?"

"Lark is Lark," Daisuke spat, "The same Lark you've known since fucking Preschool! Don't be stupid! He has no –"

"Daisuke…" Cana placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, pleading to him with her eyes for him to trust her.

Daisuke leaned back against the wall. She smoothed his bangs back, noting he was still sweating.

"Lark does have special abilities," she told them, "But I have no reason to tell you what I know unless you agree to work with us."

Daisuke's eyes widened, catching Cana's eyes. She nodded to him again, asking for his trust. Daisuke closed his eyes as another jolt of pain wracked his body. He let out a strangled groan.

"We can't work with you," Toby whispered, watching Daisuke settle once the pain had subsided, "They'll know…"

"You don't have a lot of choice," Cana pointed out, "You work with us and take your chances that the cops and Fairy Tail will look after you…or you keep getting abused by _them_. Eventually, they'll either kill you themselves or find a situation that's dangerous enough to get you killed doing their grunt work in the future. I know it – you know it. Your choice."

Toby and Yuka exchanged glances again, both of their faces contorted with worry and confusion.

"You'll escape and leave us here…" Yuka shook his head, "Toby, we can't even consider this."

"I give you my word as a Fairy Tail employee," Cana stated, one hand on her chest, the other in the air, "I will not leave either of you behind."

Cana held her breath as Toby and Yuka considered her words. She smiled reassuringly at Daisuke, then returned her attention to the boys across from them, who were fiercely whispering to each other.

All four of them paused, listening intently as they noted some dust fall from the ceiling.

"Better decide," Cana told them, "Looks like we're about to have company."

* * *

Sora felt her body come to a stop. She still had no control over her own movements, so she couldn't turn to face Mary as the girl halted beside her, removing the blindfold she had placed over Sora's eyes once they were away from Magnolia. They were standing at the back of a property. There was a house in front of them…or it had been a house at one time, anyway. It was seemingly falling apart at the seams. Large metal storage containers were strewn between the side and the front yard. She strained her eyes, trying to look for clues of their whereabouts.

"The cops have been here," Mary smiled to herself, "How amusing! It looks like they've cleared out the property! That'll save us some time later!"

Sora noted there was no one there now. No cops at all. Her heart sank, the hopeful flicker that had burned only seconds ago completely snuffed out.

"They were so close!" Mary sing-songed, pretending to be a haughty teen, "So close! They were right on top of them!"

She moved her arms, the branch in her hand forcing Sora to copy the movements with her body. Mary danced them straight across the yard as though taunting the police presence that had been there earlier that day.

Mary grinned as they entered the woods behind the house. It was a short walk – only a ½ mile – before they came to a cabin. It looked like it had been abandoned for awhile, but compared to the house they'd just passed, it was a palace. The yard was neat in appearance. Large pine trees lined either side of the house. There was seemingly no driveway, which struck Sora as odd. Also, there didn't appear to be any lights on.

"Come in!" Mary invited as she opened the door, forcing Sora through behind her.

Sora tried to take in her surroundings. Honestly, it looked like an older couple's home. The furniture was all old, and although tidy, there was a layer of dust on almost everything.

"Let's talk in the living room!" Mary suggested, jerking Sora's body over to the couch beside her.

Her form flickered, showing the male version of herself for a brief time.

Sora realized that Mary had released her hold on Sora's body as everything suddenly went limp.

"There…see?" Mary grinned, "Much better! Now we're just two friends…having a conversation."

Sora glared at her.

"You can talk now," Mary reiterated, "I've released my hold."

"Cana and Daisuke are here?" Sora seethed. Her teeth had been so clenched, her jaw hurt. She was surging with rage. Her head was screaming, between wondering about Aki's fate and knowing that Cana and Daisuke could be nearby.

"I don't want to talk about them yet! I want to know about Lark!" Mary said lightly, "How about you tell me, then I'll tell you!"

Sora shook her head, "No dice. You want me to talk, you'll answer my questions first."

Mary waved the stick in her hand, "Have you forgotten who has control here?"

Sora stared at Mary, daggers in her eyes, "That's the deal."

Mary threw her hands up in the air, "Okay, fine! Cana and Daisuke are here! Happy?"

Sora tried to launch herself at Mary, "Where in the hell are they? I want to see them!"

Mary clenched her stick, forcing Sora back down to the couch, "Later. I answered your question…now you owe me an answer."

She smiled at Sora, chuckling out loud at the enraged expression on Sora's face.

"I wasn't done," Sora stated flatly, "I need to know Aki is safe."

"I told you – she's fine," Mary hissed, her voice losing all the playfulness it had expressed in the past few minutes, "I just needed to distract the Angel that was following us."

"Angel…" Sora whispered.

"That's right!" Mary rolled her eyes, "Angel…one of the ones that protect Lark, probably."

Sora bit her lower lip, relief for Aki pouring through her.

"How many Angels does Lark have?" Mary asked.

Sora shook her head, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Mary snorted, "You're a stubborn one…I'll give you that. Nonetheless, Aki will be fine. And you can go home with Daisuke and Cana…all you need to do is confirm for me about Lark and his Angels..."

Sora stared at Mary's eyes, noting how they churned, changing her eye colour constantly. Her facial features flickered again, switching to a male version of her, then resuming the face Sora knew.

"I want to see them," Sora stated firmly, her voice quivering slightly, "I want to see Daisuke and Cana."

Mary snickered as the door they'd entered moments ago opened and two very tall, brawny men walked in the door.

"You'll see them soon enough," Mary promised, "Byro…Sugarboy…do me a favour and go see what progress Toby and Yuka made."

Sora growled at the mentions of the two names.

"Are they allowed out now?" Byro asked, smoothing his fingers over his moustache.

Mary smiled, "See if you're happy with their information first. I have no use for lackeys that can't get information that I need."

Sora scrambled for the door, letting out a shriek when Mary suddenly grasped control of her body again, jerking her back to her place on the couch.

"It's not smart to tick me off," Mary warned.

Byro and Sugarboy nodded, heading toward a wall with a closet door in it. Sora strained to see as they opened the door and thundered down the stairs. Noting Sora's stare, Mary promptly got off the couch long enough to slam the door, blocking Sora's view.

* * *

She didn't know where she was. Aki's eyes blinked multiple times before finally opening. She was lying down on a patch of grass…in the forest?

Beside her, she noticed a little old man – honestly no taller than her hips - whittling at a branch with a jackknife. He wore a blue and orange jester-like hat and the most…interesting ensemble of clothing she'd ever seen: an orange jacket, a white t-shirt bearing a symbol she recognized on it, and orange shorts.

He held his hand above his head in greeting when she noticed him, closing his eyes and grinning so wide, she wondered if he was actually a jester.

"Hello young lady!" he greeted, his grin threatening to split his face.

Aki sat up, sitting back from him a bit, "H-hi…"

"You're okay!" he announced, going back to his stick, "Might cough a tiny bit from breathing in a little smoke…but you're not injured."

She stared at the little old man, happily whittling away without a care in the world.

"W-who are you?" Aki stuttered.

He paused, taking in her ragged appearance. Her long, pink hair was in complete disarray, her shirt torn, and she'd lost a shoe somewhere. Still, the look on her face…

"You look just like your father," the little man stated, his grin fading into a somber expression, "I have to say…it _is_ a pleasure to meet you."

"Who _are_ you?" Aki repeated, scooting her butt backward again. Fear clouded her eyes as she glanced around the forest, trying to get her bearings.

"It's okay, Child," the man told her, "My name is Makarov Dreyar. Most people call me Master."

She backed up again, more creeped out than ever. He regarded her reaction, tilting his head slightly before his eyes lit up in understanding.

"I am _not_ calling you Master!" she yelled.

"I mean you no harm, Aki Dragneel," he promised. He pulled his jacket open, pointing at the symbol in the centre of his t-shirt.

She looked closer at it, her eyes darting back up to his, "That's the symbol Dad has on his shoulder…and half the police department…my mother has one on her hand…and everyone at my mother's work has one. They all got the tattoo to commemorate the orphanage fire!"

"It's the symbol of Fairy Tail," Makarov told her proudly, "Which is why they call me 'Master'. I am the Master of the Fairy Tail Division."

"Fairy Tail…doesn't have a Master," Aki said slowly, watching the little old man jump off the log, his stick apparently fully whittled.

"Fairy Tail _Earthland_ doesn't have a Master," Makarov corrected her, turning his back as he waved at a squirrel scampering up a nearby tree.

Aki's eyes widened again… _this man was strange…but he wasn't dangerous_ … _possibly insane though_.

"Make no mistake…even Fairy Tail Earthland is ultimately guided. They do good work there…work that my division of Fairy Tail is very proud to be a part of," Makarov stuck his arm out, letting out a low whistle.

Aki was starting to think the man was nuts…until the squirrel darted down the tree and landed on his arm, chattering to him like a long-lost friend.

Aki shook her head, her fear of 'Master Makarov Dreyar' starting to dissipate.

"I don't understand."

He turned to her, patting the squirrel on its head before releasing it to the ground. The squirrel scampered past Aki, chattering noisily as it disappeared into the thicket.

"I am the Master of Fairy Tail Heaven," he told her proudly.

"Heaven?" Aki repeated blankly.

She paused when he nodded, shaking her head as she tried to absorb the information.

"I think I hit my head…I'm having the weirdest dream," she murmured.

Makarov grinned again, "Nope! It's the truth! "

"You're the Master of…Fairy Tail Heaven…" Aki repeated, "What...in the heck...is Fairy Tail Heaven?"

Makarov nodded, watching her reaction. He didn't want to overwhelm her, but he suspected she already knew there was more going on than meets the eye.

"Fairy Tail is a Division of Heaven," he told her, "We are tasked with the smooth running of Earthland…that includes the changing of seasons, the growth of Earthland, and the welfare of animals and humans alike. It is no coincidence that Fairy Tail Earthland functions as it does. The people who run Fairy Tail Earthland are guided by ambassadors from Fairy Tail Heaven."

"Ambassadors?" Aki asked slowly.

"Angels!" Makarov declared, as thought it would be the most normal thing Aki had ever heard, "Fairy Tail Earthland is protected and guided by Angels!"

He could see the wheels in her head turning as she inevitably diverted her thoughts to her brother, who had claimed to see Angels his entire life. He nodded, confirming her thoughts without saying a word.

"It's impossible," Aki shook her head, " _You're_ an Angel?"

Makarov nodded, "And normally, I wouldn't reveal myself to you like this…but your entire family is in danger. I need to help your friends, but I need to keep you safe…so I'm trusting you with this secret."

"Lark…really sees Angels?" Aki clarified, holding her head as she walked in a small circle, "He knows about Fairy Tail?"

"Not completely," Makarov shook his head, "He knows there are Angels surrounding your friends and family. He knows they watch after all of you."

"How do you know my father?" Aki asked, her voice quivering slightly as she anticipated his likely-crazy answer.

Makarov zipped his lips, "Let's just say we're cut from the same cloth. If I say too much more, it will just confuse you. The main point is, I want you to know you're protected and loved and that this situation is being handled by the powers that be. I can't send you back to the Dragneel house without an escort…there are no escorts to take you. Therefore, you have to stay with me. Furthermore, you already know that recent events are unusual…and that 'other forces' are interplaying. There's no way to look after you unless you know what's going on. And if you're going to come with me, you may as well help."

He paused, watching Aki's baffled expression as she continued to absorb everything he'd told her.

"Now…how would you like to help me sound the alarm to the police officers about the location of Daisuke Cheney and Cana Alberona?"

Aki's eyes bulged again, "Cana and Daisuke?!"

"Do you remember what happened before you woke here?" Makarov asked.

Aki closed her eyes, thinking back. She remembered walking away from the house with Sora…then Mary joining them…

' _Mary…Mary the demon. She took Sora…she knocked me out. How did I get out of the building?'_

"I saved you from the burning building," Makarov told her as if reading her mind, "And I called the fire department. Then I took you and followed the Aura trail of the demon and your friend. I know where they are…all of them."

Aki felt a tear threaten to escape from her eye, "Cana and Daisuke? And Sora? All of them?"

Makarov nodded, "It's too dangerous for you to go in there, Aki…but you can help me sound the alarm and we'll let the more experienced Angels handle the rest…what do you say?"

Her hesitation didn't surprise him, so he flashed her another toothy grin and sent out a wave of peace and comfort toward her. Aki tilted her head, examining him as he stretched his hand out again. The same squirrel leapt from a nearby tree, landing in his palm. He pet it, then released it back to the tree.

Aki nodded, slowly accepting his hand when he offered to pull her to feet.

He waved his hand over her hand, leaving a dark navy blue Fairy Tail symbol on her forearm.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail," he told her softly.

"Are you really an Angel?" Aki asked in awe as she examined her new tattoo, "And how is Fairy Tail Earthland connected to Fairy Tail Heaven? And how do you know my dad? Does he call you Master too? What about my mother?"

"I'll give you a fuller explanation when time isn't so short," Makarov chuckled, "For now, let's just focus on the task at hand. We need to let the other Fairy Tail members know where we are."

He pulled out a cellphone-like device, humming and hawing for a moment. Aki had never seen anything like it. It had no buttons per se…and it was no wonder the old man had problems turning it on.

He placed his hand over it, closing his eyes. The cell glowed, then lit up with a directory.

"All Angels' Broadcast," the old man stated, "Pinpoint location. Send message: I have located Cana Alberona, Daisuke Cheney, Sora Redfox, and Aki Dragneel. Aki is with me and she's safe. Please report to specified coordinates at once."

Aki felt completely numb, unsure of how to react.

He grinned again, reaching up to take her hand. She still wasn't sure if she believed he was an Angel…and she didn't how he'd put the tattoo on her arm…but she followed him anyway, deeper into the forest.

* * *

Lark excused himself from the living room, disappearing into his bedroom once more for some privacy. He knew he needed to be out there to calm the other kids, who were still shaken by the sudden disappearance of most of the police outside, but hoped the new movie he'd put on for them would quell their curiosity...for now. Laki and Lucy were still trying to contact someone…anyone…who could tell them what the hell was going on.

He took the cellphone Romeo had given him out of his pocket, turning it in his fingers. There were no buttons, no openings. He really had no clue if it was actually a cell phone at all.

"Wendy?" he called.

He waited for a moment, sighing when she didn't appear.

"Mavis!" he tried.

Again…nothing.

He placed his hand overtop of the device, feeling the smooth texture of it as he contemplated his conversation with Romeo. Why would Romeo suddenly believe Lark? And how did Romeo, of all people, know more about the situation than others? And what in the hell happened 16 years ago? What did it have to do with what was happening now?

He nearly jumped out of his skin when the cell phone suddenly vibrated. He looked down, cradling it in his hands as a 3-D image jumped out. Lark looked closer, eyes widening as he realized it was a location…a map…and if he wasn't mistaken, it was of an area on the other side of town. There was also a text message, but he couldn't read it since it disappeared so quickly, a message flashing in front of his eyes: _Unauthorized_.

 _'Maybe it is an Angels' phone'_, he surmised.

He slipped the phone in his pocket, leaving his room to check on the other kids in the living room. Guilt flooded him as he realized whatever this device was, it was pinpointing a specific location for a reason. He really wished he could have read the text message. Every cell in his body screamed for him to go find out what the pinpointed map lead to.

He watched Lucy and Laki, huddled over the table. He could see the pain and anguish in Lucy and Laki's faces as they reported Sora and Aki's disappearance to the police department, since they couldn't get a hold of Sting, Rogue, or Natsu. They'd already been in touch with Fairy Tail to ask if anyone there had seen their husbands. Not that they could even get a hold of Levy to tell her that her daughter was missing.

Leaving was the last thing he wanted to do. Mavis had warned him against it explicitly. Plus, he had promised Lucy only a few minutes ago that he would stay put with the family.

He didn't want to hurt Lucy, especially now. But he couldn't see a choice.

He needed to know what the pinpointed location meant.

He needed to stop whatever was coming after everyone he loved.

 _It was his fault everyone was in such danger to begin with…and he was the only one who could stop it._

Which meant he was going to have to sneak out too.

* * *

The police cars pulled into the lot of the old house, immediately disbursing around the property. Natsu, Sting, and Rogue took a crew inside the house with a large sledge hammer. The house was scheduled to be demolished anyway…they would tear it apart wall by wall if they had to if it meant finding their missing friends.

The weariness on the police officers' faces was beginning to become very apparent. Rogue was far from the only cop with dark circles under their eyes. But they knew they were close.

"Stand back!" Sting ordered as he swung at the living room floor.

The sledge hammer slammed into the old laminate flooring, immediately splintering. Rogue, Sting and Natsu immediately fell to their knees, clearing the hole until they could see what was underneath.

"It's a crawl space," Rogue coughed from the dusk, "But there's no way anyone is down there. It's too damned dusty."

"What about that clean closet?" Sting suggested, "It was the only room in the entire house that didn't have mold growing on the mold."

All three relocated to the closet without another word.

* * *

The cellar door seal jostled, then slowly pried open, waking the occupants of the cell abruptly. Cana bolted upright, shielding Daisuke with her body out of pure instinct. Toby and Yuka jolted awake too as Sugarboy and Byro entered the cellar, their eyes gleaming.

"So, Toby…Yuka…what did you find out from our 'guests'?" Byro asked.

Toby and Yuka looked at each other, edging toward the wall.

"Nothing?" Sugarboy laughed, "You've been here for hours and you've learning nothing? Hughes will not be pleased."

His hands began to cover with slime as he stepped closer to Cana and Daisuke.

"Fine then…I'll question them myself."

Cana stood, shielding Daisuke with her body.

"Wait!" Yuka yelled, standing up with his arm extended, "They talked! But I need to know that Toby and I are getting out of this cellar…so I'm not going to tell you anything until we're out of here."

Sugarboy lowered his hands, the slime bubbling back into his skin as he turned back to Yuka. Toby had stood up behind him, the two of them showing no fear in their eyes as they stared down the demon in front of them.

"That's not how it works," Byro told them, "It's very simple... _you_ work for us. As long as you do what we tell you, you'll live to see another day. You're sorely mistaken if you think you hold any leverage over us. We have more ways than one to figure out what we need to know."

Toby and Yuka both cringed, glancing at Cana briefly. Their confidence was suddenly gone.

"You forget," Sugarboy added, "Mary has your friend upstairs. She'll get the information. All of _you_ are expendable."

"Aki?" Daisuke piped up, scrambling to his feet, "Where is she?"

"Not Aki," Sugarboy cackled, "Aki's dead. Sora's alive...for now. But Mary's patience will only last for so long."

Cana and Daisuke froze, completely stunned.

Both Sugarboy and Byro laughed as they headed for the door. Toby's face went white as it shut firmly behind them again.

Cana let out a shriek, making a break for the door. She pounded on it with both fists even after she realized it was too late. They were locked in again.

"Aki..." Daisuke slid down the wall, cringing from the pain. He barely noticed it this time due to his overwhelming sense of grief, "Mavis...please no."

He started shaking, regardless of the pain it caused. Cana shook off her anger and rushed to his side, pulling him into her arms immediately.

"We're dead," Toby wailed, "They're going to kill us for sure now."

Cana wished for her Tarot cards for the hundredth time that day. She couldn't believe Aki could be dead either...she was too strong for that.

"He's lying," Cana said confidently, her voice still laced with the rage she felt, "Aki is a Dragneel. Dragneels don't go down easily. Dragneels never give up and they never surrender!"

Daisuke wanted to believe her, but the waver in her voice made him wonder if she believed it herself. She had been holding all of them to hope. If Cana's hope wavered, then they were all in trouble.

"We will not give up easily either," Cana announced, swallowing any doubt that she felt. She had three frightened teenagers in front of her. There was no way she was letting them give up, "I'm done with this room, you guys. They'll be back and when they get here, we need to have a plan. Daisuke is limited in what he can do…and Toby and Yuka, we need your help. We need to work together!"

She closed her eyes, letting out a silent prayer. Daisuke nodded to her without hesitation. Toby's hands were shaking, but he nodded his agreement as well. Everyone turned to Yuka.

"Please Yuka," Cana said softly, "We want to go home. You have my word, we're not going to abandon you."

Yuka didn't know how to react. He bit his lower lip nervously as Toby put a reassuring hand on his back.

"I'm helping them with or without you," Toby told him, "I don't want to be the bad guy anymore."

Yuka released his lower lip, his decision made. He wasn't about to let Toby leave him behind, "Okay. We're all in."

"What can we do though?" Daisuke asked, "We are completely out of their league. We can't fight them."

Cana reached inside her capris excitedly.

"They missed these when they searched me," she told them, pulling off her belt, "I was waiting for the right time to use them."

She threw the belt to the ground, then reached inside her pants, holding up an item triumphantly before chucking it to the ground, then reached back inside her pants to tug at something else. It was then that she realized all three teenagers had turned their backs to her, all their faces flushed. She laughed out loud.

"Sorry, guys. It's safe now."

Slowly, all three boys turned, checking out the small pile on the ground at her feet.

* * *

Another wall crashed down, courtesy of the sledge hammers swung by Rogue, Sting, and half a dozen other cops. They'd found a wall in the closet that looked suspicious.

"There's nothing here!" Sting groaned, "We've pretty much demolished the house and we're lucky it hasn't collapsed on us yet. We need to look at that map again."

"It's definitely this area," Rogue confirmed, the map in front of him.

"Check the neighbours?" Romeo suggested, "Or what about a basement or crawl space underneath?"

The other cops fell silent, all contemplating their next move. Natsu glared at the map, then sniffed the air. Suddenly, he spun on his heel to stalk outside. The other cops glanced at each other before scrambling to follow him. He stood outside, continuing to sniff the air.

"What's wrong?" Rogue asked him.

"I don't know. I smell something," Natsu replied under his breath. He sniffed the air again, this time in different directions.

"How can you pick out anything different from this house?" Sting demanded, "It all smells the same now – one gigantic cesspool of disgusting!"

"Shh!" Natsu hissed. He stepped forward, sniffing the air with his eyes closed.

"What's he doing?" Macao whispered to Romeo.

Romeo shook his head. He'd never seen Natsu sniff like he was doing now. His eyes worried Romeo when they opened again. They were wide, almost primal as he followed the edge of the wall. Suddenly, he halted, sniffing the air vigorously.

Romeo felt the hair on his neck stand up. It was the same feeling he'd had when Natsu was pummeling him that time…it was Natsu had shifted from Natsu into another…being?

"Aki's been here," Natsu whispered, barely audible to the staring officers.

There was wonder in his voice…like he had no doubt about his statement, but it confused him. Aki and Sora should be back at the Dragneel house, not here in the middle of a rundown suburb.

"Sting!" Natsu turned, the unmistakable red gleam back in his eyes, "Call Lucy – find out how long Aki and Sora have been gone! I'm going to find them!"

He took off, running straight for the forest. Sting, Rogue, and Romeo took off after him.

"Macao!" Sting yelled over his shoulder, "Call Lucy! Then divert all available officers to scour the forest!"

* * *

Mavis had disbursed the Angels back to their posts. They'd all just received the notifications that Makarov had sent regarding Aki being safe. Sora had been taken, but he suspected she was now with Daisuke and Cana.

She'd done all she could for Laxus, but ultimately, her power hadn't been enough to stop the poison from spreading inside his body. She _had_ been able to slow it down a bit, but she really had no idea if it would be enough to last until Wendy woke up.

Nonetheless, she could do no more at the moment. She had to focus on the new problem. She considered the information sent, then turned to give Jellal and Erik their orders.

Jellal and Erik would head to the site Makarov had pinpointed. Makarov had indicated he was going to point the cops in the right direction. Mavis would head back to the Dragneel house to watch over everyone else.

"Be careful," she said to them, squeezing a hand each.

Both Jellal and Erik nodded, disappearing promptly. Mavis took a deep breath before transporting herself to the Dragneels.

She noted right away that the police presence had decreased. Flitting quickly through the kitchen area, she realized that Lucy and Laki were both on the phone, trying to get information about the sudden change in the police presence. The children were huddled in the living room, watching a movie, but none of them were actually watching as they regarded the mothers with terrified eyes. Lucy kept storming back down to Aki's room to check again that the girls were in fact missing, still in denial that her least disobedient child could possibly pull off such a stunt.

Mavis scanned the room for one face in particular. Her heart thudded as she realized that Lark wasn't with the children. She B-lined for his room, audibly crying out as she realized it was empty. Immediately, she sent out an all-Angel broadcast.

"Larcade's not at the Dragneel house either. Minerva and Midnight - can you come to watch the Dragneels so that I can intercept him?"

"Something's not right here," Midnight told her, "The Aura is off here at Fairy Tail. I'm worried something is going to happen."

" _I'm worried_ _Larcade is going to give himself up_!" Mavis stressed, "He thinks it's his fault Cana and Daisuke went missing...and now Aki and Sora are gone too!"

She could hear the mumblings of discussion between Minerva, Midnight, Michelle and Racer in the background. They _had_ heard Loke on the phone with someone. He had been denying that they'd seen someone.

"We're on our way," Midnight told her after a long moment.

"I'll go ahead," Mavis told them, "Don't let anyone else leave."

Mavis didn't wait for a response, disappearing without even hanging up.

* * *

In the living room of the cabin, Sora was secured to the couch by Mary's ability. Sugarboy and Byro had made their way back up the stairs, now reporting the refusal of cooperation from anyone downstairs.

"The Bishop is on his way," Byro confirmed, hanging up his phone, "They've been chased from the Church by the cops. It seems they're narrowing in on us again."

Mary's lips curled into a smile as she continued to stare at Sora.

"That's good," she stated.

She ran a finger down Sora's brow.

"I can feel the Angel that rescued Aki from the building," Mary continued, "Which means the other Angels are on their way. Take Sora down to the cellar. We've no more use for any of them."

Byro and Sugarboy each had Sora by an arm now. She struggled when Mary released her hold, stopping on Sugarboy's foot. He cringed, but didn't let go. Both men dragged her to the stairs.

She could hear Sora continue attempting to fight her captors. It was a fruitless, pathetic effort. Mary wondered why she struggled so hard. She would soon be with her missing friends. She had _wanted_ to see them _so badly_...why the sudden change of heart?

"And as for the police and the Angels?" Mary said to no one in particular, "Let them come."

* * *

 ** _A/N: I have literally had company since the first day of July! All company is heading home as we speak, so chapters should be a little more on schedule (except next week - might take off with the kidlets for a few days to do school shopping - I'll see what I can do!)_**

 _ **Things are getting very serious, very fast!**_

* * *

 _ **Next week's Preview:**_

 _Lark stared the man directly in the eyes. He could see Natsu and the other cops on the other side of the barrier. Natsu was screaming as Rogue and Sting held him back. A dozen other cops had their guns aimed and ready to fire._

 _"Aren't you going to run, Larcade Dragneel?" the Bishop taunted._

 _Lark shook his head firm, balling his fists, "No. If it's me you want, then take me...but leave everyone else alone."_

 _The Bishop cackled, raising his hands to prepare an attack. Lark closed his eyes, begging for a miracle. He heard the clash of metal suddenly, his eyes flying open as he noted the newcomers on the inside on the barrier._

 _Wendy backed up beside him, poised to attack._

 _"Welcome back!" Lark exclaimed._

 _Wendy grinned back, never breaking her gaze from the threat ahead of them, "Good to be back...sorry we're late."_


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N: This chapter is a monster - over 13, 500 words long...but I promise it'll be worth it. Lots happening here...so detail was absolutely necessary. Please be sure to leave a comment at the end... :D Hope everyone had a great summer!**_

 _ **~Shana**_

* * *

Cana, they discovered, had roughly the equivalent of a half roll of wire strung and sewn through her pants. She had the boys turn away, stripping the bra off her upper body long enough to take the underwire out. She called the boys when it was safe to look again.

"What are you making?" Yuka asked in awe.

"Homemade garrote wire," Cana told him, working quickly to secure the wire to the underwire with Krazy Glue, kept in a secret pocket in her vest, "You know how in ninja movies ninjas use it to strangle the bad guys? Same idea."

Toby visibly paled.

"Are you…abnormally paranoid on a regular basis?" Daisuke queried, thinking back on the vast amount of weaponry he'd already seen removed from her, "You had a crazy amount of shit on you! And I didn't see what they took from you before you got here or what you had in your purse!"

"Ahhh, my purse," Cana's lamented, "If we had my purse, we'd have been outta here hours ago."

The boys exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond.

"Not most of the time," Cana addressed the original question. She finished gluing, tucking the Krazy Glue back into her vest, "I do carry weapons at all times, but I wouldn't say I'm paranoid or anything…just cautious. When you've lived on the streets, you learn to be ready to defend yourself."

She held up the garrote wire triumphantly, testing the strength of her glue job.

"It's not much, and it'll probably break…but it could help us buy a little time."

She dropped it quickly, moving on to the next weapon she had in mind, tossing Toby a fork.

"This…is a weapon?" Toby asked slowly.

"Damn right it is," Cana told him, "And we can't afford to think twice. Do what you have to. No hesitation."

"You…carry a fork on you all the time?" Yuka exclaimed.

Cana shrugged, "There were a few years in my teenagehood where anything worked. Being on the streets is no game. You do what you have to do…it's called survival."

She picked up the exacto-knife, tossing it to Yuka.

"No hesitation," she reminded him.

Yuka gulped.

"When they open the door, we charge," she told them, "Get past them however you have to. Make way for Daisuke and get him out first. He'll be slower, but make sure you stay together…no one gets left behind."

They could see the dirt falling from the ceiling again. Cana backed the other three behind her as they waited. She had hoped they'd have a little more time before the demons came back. She stuffed her leftover items in the pocket on the inside of her pants.

"We already know we're in a basement," Cana continued, "And I remember there was natural light when Daisuke and I tried to escape the first time…do you know if those windows open?"

Toby and Yuka exchanged glances, both shaking their heads.

"It never occurred to me to look," Yuka admitted.

"No problem," Cana said, "If we have to, we'll break the window. You say we're in a cabin? Once we get out, which way is it to town?"

Both Toby and Yuka felt the sting of the betrayal they were committing. If this escape attempt failed, they doubted Mary Hughes would hesitate to kill them. On the other hand, there was no guarantee (other than Cana's word) that she and Daisuke wouldn't leave them behind. There was no real reason for them to protect Toby and Yuka. Any way they looked at it, Toby and Yuka were in a precarious position. The worst part about it was the realization that it was time to make their choice.

Daisuke was staring into the corner of the room, his mind a little bit lost as he thought about his friends and family. His thoughts fell to Aki and he teared up, despite his efforts to suppress it. She _couldn't_ be dead… Her long pink hair, always done up in a nice high pony tail, and her cheeky grin…the image burned into his mind. He couldn't imagine his world without her. He didn't want to imagine his world without her.

"The windows of the cellar point toward more forest," Yuka said finally, letting out a deep breath he didn't know he'd been holding. There _was_ no decision. Both he and Toby knew they couldn't continue living like they had been, "Once we're out, we'll need to go around the cabin. There's a trail there that should lead us back to town."

Cana nodded, standing in front of the three of them as they felt the dirt flutter to the ground much like it had the last time. Someone was coming.

* * *

Makarov ducked in the bushes, wafting Aki's scent toward the house with a gentle breeze. Once he was satisfied, he grabbed her hand, tugging her out of the bushes.

"What are we doing?" she asked, suppressing a laugh as the little old man dragged her to yet another bush. For such a tiny man, he was ridiculously strong.

"Arms up!" he ordered, creating the breeze that would again waft toward the house, "It won't be long now. Any minute now, he'll charge out of that house."

Aki had no idea how to respond to that. _Who_ would charge out of the house?

Makarov was small, it was true, but she wasn't as short so it was a little harder for her to be as stealthy as the lithe old man. He sprinted with the resilience of a four-year-old, hopping through the air and dragging her with him. If she didn't know the situation was so dire, she would be laughing.

She still wasn't sure how he could be who he said he was. He was goofy, often changing direction with no rhyme or reason. His explanations to her questions were either completely insane, or very cleverly guarded. Usually both. The longer she stayed near him, the more she was convinced that perhaps the man was simply being strategic. He'd made it clear he couldn't answer all her questions.

"We're baiting your father," Makarov explained, "There's a lot of things you don't know about him, Aki. I can't get into that right now…but trust me…he will smell you and he will come after us. We need to make a scent trail to get the police coming in the right direction."

"My dad will…smell me?" Aki queried, her eyebrows furrowing. The more time she spent with the weird little old man, the weirder he got.

"He will," Makarov confirmed, but he didn't elaborate as he took her hand again, breaking into a sprint deeper into the forest.

"What do we do now?" Aki asked from behind him.

"We need to set up a perimeter," Makarov told her, "Once the Angels get here – and the cops on the other side – I'm hoping to surround whomever is in the compound. It's imperative we give them no escape routes. You and I need to create barriers. We need your father to lead the cops to one side…and the beacon we set up with the coordinates will draw the Angels to the other side."

"Of what?" Aki asked incredulously.

"The cabin that holds your friends," Makarov replied, picking up speed. Aki realized she wasn't even moving under her own power anymore. Makarov was pulling her through the air like a cartoon character, her legs flailing behind her. Finally, he swung her body around him so that he was carrying her on his back.

He came to an abrupt stop after a good three minutes of running, setting her down gently. He crouched down into a bush. Completely unsure of what to do, she crouched too, noting that he was observing a two-story cabin.

"Is that where they are?" she asked skeptically.

He nodded curtly, pointing to a large man walking the perimeter, "The Angels will appear on the other side of the cabin. I need to get there. Your father will arrive behind us shortly…so this is as far as you go. I can mask myself, but I cannot risk the guards seeing you."

"No way!" she exclaimed, "My dad will kill me for being out here! I'm coming with you."

"You can't," Makarov said in a flat voice, "He's following your scent. I need the police on this side of the cabin."

"If that guard comes out here, he'll see us right away," Aki whispered, watching the guard scan the surrounding forest.

"Aye…" Makarov agreed slowly. Aki watched as his eyes lit up with an idea.

He pulled a paper from his pocket, laying his hand on it for a moment. The paper glowed, then faded back to its' original form. Satisfied, he handed it to Aki.

"Double back," he told her, "Give that paper to Sting. And _only_ Sting. Don't give it to your father, whatever you do. I'm sure one of the officers will escort you back to town."

She stared at the paper with uncertainty, glancing back to Makarov as he grabbed both her hands.

"You mustn't trust anyone, Aki," he stared directly into her eyes, begging her to heed his words, "Demons can take possession of regular humans…and possibly even Angels. Your cop friends are allies and you can trust them for now. Don't trust anyone outside of your regular circle."

A chill swept through Aki as he continued to stare at her, trying to drive his point across to her.

"What if someone I know gets possessed?" Aki asked, thinking about the total change she had witnessed in Mary.

"You can identify a possession by a sudden alteration in the way that they speak," Makarov continued, "You'll notice different speech patterns…or a change in their personality. Watch carefully for any of those. Trust no one."

He released her hands, closing the left one with the note inside of it. She glanced down at it, gulping.

"The paper," she said finally, trying to break the tension she was feeling, "It's blank."

"Only to certain humans," he told her, "Sting and Rogue will be able to read the instructions."

"Sting and…" Aki started to say.

"Go!" he ordered, "and don't look back no matter what you do."

She paused, unsure she wanted to leave the little man now that she'd started relaxing around him.

"I'm glad to have met you, Aki Dragneel," Makarov squeezed her hand, "Remember that as a Fairy Tail member, you can't repeat anything you've seen here today… for your safety and ours. We'll be watching over you."

Aki stared at him for a long moment, "Please don't make me go. I can't leave, knowing Daisuke is right there. Please…let me stay with you…"

"If you don't go, we won't have enough backup to finish this, Aki," Makarov said softly.

Aki secured the paper into her hand, her heart pounding. She took one last look at the cabin, praying for the safety of her friends within it, and broke out into a sprint, following the path to the best of her ability. As she ran, she began to realize that she was following an unmarked trail…sparkles on the ground. She didn't know how he'd done it, but Makarov had lit her way.

* * *

Lark glanced at the Angels' phone again. He was definitely going in the right direction because he could see the blip on the map that must signify his location and the 'X' on the map representing his destination. He was sprinting as fast as his feet could take him, extremely thankful for the healing Mavis had given him considering he could barely cross the street without getting winded before she had done so.

He heard his own cell phone go off. Twangs of guilt passed through him, twisting in his gut like a blunt knife. Lucy had noticed his disappearance by now. He didn't want to betray her like this…but he really saw no choice. More and more of the people he loved were getting dragged into 'this'. He didn't even definitively know what 'this' was…but he _did_ know the demons were after _him_. Ultimately, he knew he was the only one who could stop things from getting any worse for them..

His life with the Dragneels passed through his brain as he ran: moments such as Lucy ruffling his hair when she was proud of him…or picking him out of the dirt when he fell down…hugging him after a bad dream…laughing with him and his siblings during one of their ridiculous games. The love he felt for Lucy was unparalleled to anyone else on Earthland.

But Natsu was there during all those moments too.

Another twang of guilt passed through him as he realized how very little credit he'd given to Natsu over the years. He was an amazing father…as much as Lucy was an amazing mother…and Lark hadn't even given either of them the respect they'd deserved simply by acknowledging them as his parents – his _real_ parents…the ones who had seen him through every trial and tribulation since he came to live with them. It didn't matter that they weren't his birth parents. They had been his parents in every sense of the word right from the moment they'd brought him home.

He wiped a tear from his eye, vowing if everyone somehow made it through whatever 'this' was, he would continue to change and give them the respect they deserved.

"Please forgive me," he whispered, picking up the pace, "I'm so sorry…Mom…Dad."

* * *

Makarov _transported_ to the other side of the clearing, pausing to drink from the small stream that ran there. He sat on a log, observing the cabin from that viewpoint. More demons walked the perimeter of the cabin. He noted the dark Aura increasing as suddenly, a group of demons appeared. He narrowed his eyes as he recognized their leader.

He felt the presences of the arriving Angels before he saw them appear – Jellal on his left, Erik on his right.

"Where are the other Angels?" he asked in greeting.

"Mavis sent us," Jellal told him, "Minerva, Midnight, Michelle, and Racer are still at Fairy Tail. There is no one else available yet. Laxus is down and the other Angels are still sleeping."

"Not good," Makarov murmured.

He pointed at the group of demons, who were busy discussing something in hushed tones as they gathered in front of the cabin.

"Do you recognize him?" he asked, looking from Erik to Jellal. He pointed to one demon in particular…the Bishop himself. His form altered frequently, shifting from the Bishop to someone they all knew and respected.

Erik sucked in a breath, "It can't be…"

Makarov nodded, "I've been watching for a few minutes. His form changes between the Bishop and his true form."

"How is that possible?" Erik queried.

Makarov shook his head, "I can't be sure, but I'd say the demons took over his body to gain his power."

"Why didn't we detect it when we fought them in the Church?" Jellal questioned.

Makarov shook his head, "Maybe he didn't want us to know yet?"

"Orga…" Erik whispered, "He's just one of a hundred missing Angels. If it's true that demons can take over Angel bodies, there's no telling who else we'll have to face. I don't know if I can face him in battle..."

The three Angels fell silent, each of them agreeing with that statement.

Jellal clicked his tongue, "Orga is not evil. He was a very powerful Angel. I can't see him switching sides willingly."

Makarov nodded, "I'm sure it's a demon possession. They have control of him somehow."

"Maybe Mavis will know how to break it," Erik suggested.

Makarov nodded again, "Until we can figure that out, we may have no choice but to face him. We may end up facing many we once called friends, so be prepared."

There was another awkward silence as they thought about other Angels that had gone missing over the past several years.

"And Daisuke, Cana and Sora are in there with these guys?" Erik asked finally, pointing to the cabin.

Makarov dipped his head, "Yes…they're in there. But I fear with only 3 of us, even with the police on their way, we won't last long against their abilities. How long until the other Angels wake up?"

Jellal glanced at his watch, "At least another hour."

"And where is Mavis?" Makarov asked.

"Looking after the Dragneels," Erik supplied.

Makarov hummed to himself, considering their options, "The police will be here soon. I sent Aki back toward them with a note for Sting. I told him not to engage, but to sit back and wait for our signal."

Jellal and Erik exchanged glances.

"And what about us?" Jellal asked.

Makarov was trying to pick out other familiar faces in the crowd of demons, but so far it appeared that Orga was the only one who had been taken from Heaven. That did not mean there were not others in disguise, but he tried to take a little comfort in what he did not know.

"We need to wait too," Makarov told them solemnly, "Hopefully, we can keep from confrontation until the other Angels are awake."

Jellal and Erik nodded, both settling back onto the heels of their feet.

* * *

One of the big hulks had Sora by the hair as she stumbled down the last two stairs.

"Stop struggling!" Byro bellowed, "You were anxious to see your friends, so quit being a pain in the ass!"

Sora's eyes widened, "They're down here?"

"Yeah, genius," Sugarboy drawled, "Don't try anything stupid."

Byro and Sugarboy waited until Sora had stopped struggling before rounding the corner to the next room. Sora noted the bright sun beaming through the windows. If she had the use of her arms, she would be shielding herself from the glare.

A door was on the right side. Sora glanced around quickly, noting a shovel and a rake in one corner of the room…and those were glass doors, not windows. A separate window was on the other side of the room.

She held her breath as Byro opened the door to the contained room, straining to see if her friends were inside. At first, she had no clue what was happening, but when Byro stumbled backward and she saw the flash of a wire-like whip, part of her wanted to squeal with glee.

Cana threw herself at Byro, wrapping her homemade tool around the large man's neck and squeezing for all she was worth. Sugarboy tightened his grip around Sora's body as two more figures barreled out of the cellar, both attacking at once. She choked on her own breath as she realized – that was Toby and Yuka! Yuka stabbed Sugarboy in the leg as Toby went for the other side.

Sora yelped as Yuka forcibly yanked Sugarboy's arm from her neck and snatched Sora from his grip, sending her across the room toward the doors where she noted another figure working frantically on their borrowed time.

"Daisuke!" she cried out, relief evident in her voice.

He turned from where he was trying to open the doors, his eyes lighting up, "Sora! Help Cana!"

There was no time for a reunion hug. Daisuke continued to work on the locked door as Sora grabbed the nearby shovel, smashing Byro on the head as he struggled against Cana. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, then he slumped slightly.

Cana broke out into a broad grin, "You're a sight for sore eyes!"

"These doors are sealed shut," Daisuke called back, "We have to go for the stairs!"

"No way we're trying the stairs!" Sora yelled, "There are more demons on their way. Go for the window!"

Daisuke nodded, redirecting his efforts on the window. It was also sealed shut.

Cana was still struggling with Byro. His hands were starting to glow, "We're running out of time! Break the damned window – we need to leave NOW!"

Yuka and Toby were still struggling with Sugarboy, Yuka having traded his weapon for the rake. Sugarboy was unamused, circling the two boys.

"Stand back Sora!" Daisuke yelled.

Sora grabbed the handle, shaking her head as she took it from him, "Daisuke… you're in no shape to be swinging anything."

Daisuke hated to admit it, but it was true. His strength was waning and the pain in his side was increasing by the moment.

"Okay, Sora," he said finally, stepping back.

She poised the shovel above her head, taking a deep breath, preparing to swing it down onto the window with all her might.

"Step back so the shards don't get you," Daisuke warned.

Sora nodded, resuming her stance.

She swung, releasing a cry as the force of her swing landed upon the glass. It shattered, sending shards everywhere.

"Oh, hell no!" Sugarboy yelled, pushing both Toby and Yuka back with vigor. He ran straight for Sora, both Yuka and Toby jumping on his back to keep him from getting to her. The shovel clambered to the ground. Daisuke went straight to the window, using a towel he'd found on the ground to clear loose glass as Sora swung her shovel a second time to defend herself.

Sugarboy kept coming, despite the two boys on his back. Yuka extracted the exacto knife again, plunging it into Sugarboy's skin again. Toby plunged the fork into the demon's side.

It was like Sugarboy hadn't even noticed. He stared Sora in the eyes as he approached her, his eyes gleaming red. Green slime began to form on his hands, oozing. Sora's eyes widened, forgetting the shovel at her feet for a moment.

Byro had gained control of himself again, spinning to put Cana in a headlock. He was going to use her own garrote wire on her. She screamed, throwing her foot down onto his, then elbowing him. He flinched, but he didn't fall this time.

Cana threw her head back, making contact with Byro's nose. He yelped, releasing his grip on her. She stumbled to the ground, spinning so that she could face him.

"What's the matter, demon…don't you have abilities?" she spat, wiping from blood from the corner of her mouth.

"I do," Byro's voice was completely amused, "And in this close proximity, it will be interesting to see if anyone survives it."

His hands glowed purple as he pulled back, a staff materializing in his hands. The second he touched it, the white formation on the head of the staff glowed the same purple.

"Cana!" Daisuke yelled, "The window is clear enough!"

"Go!" she shouted back, "Get the hell outta here! I'll be right behind you!"

Toby and Yuka were struggling with the increasingly slimy substance Sugarboy was growing all over his body. They both jumped off his back, hurrying toward the window.

"We can't leave her!" Sora insisted, "Daisuke…"

Daisuke glanced back at Cana, staring Byro down as he raised the staff over her head.

"GO!" Cana screamed.

Byro swung, narrowly missing Cana's head as she used all her strength to smash her fist into his stomach. He gasped, then recovered quickly, but Cana had already slipped underneath his hands, darting toward the broken glass escape route. Daisuke, Sora, Toby and Yuka were halfway out, hesitating until they realized she fully intended on joining them. Toby and Yuka grabbed her arms to pull her through the glass window.

Now together on the outside of the cabin, Toby lead the way, rounding the side of the cabin to head to the path that would lead them to town. Yuka had Sora's elbow, urging her to go faster. Cana lagged behind, trying to help Daisuke move faster. But his injuries burned and they all knew the demons would be right behind them.

* * *

Natsu couldn't see where he was going. Aki's smell was blinding him and he was running on pure instinct as he dodged trees to follow his daughter's scent.

Behind him, Sting, Rogue, Bacchus, Romeo, and a myriad of other officers chased him, but they were losing him fast.

"What in the hell is going on with him?" Rogue yelled ahead to Sting, "This is crazy!"

One of the officers tripped on a branch, falling to the ground behind them with a thud.

"Whatever is going on with Natsu," Sting yelled back, "He's leading us right to where we need to be."

Rogue nodded, leaping over a log. Another officer didn't clear it. Rogue kept going, nearly barreling straight into Sting's back when Sting came to a sudden stop. The other officers crowded around, panting from the hard run.

Natsu was standing still, staring through more forest at what appeared to be a clearing just ahead of their position. Natsu sniffed the air, pausing.

"She's here," Natsu said in a low voice.

"Who's –?" Rogue started to say.

That's when Aki broke through the bushes ahead. She halted, staring at the officers with wild eyes.

"Aki!" Natsu scolded, "What in the hell are you doing here?"

He reached for her. Aki stepped to the side, walking straight over to Sting. She handed him a note, then turned back to her father.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" Natsu repeated, this time managing to catch her by the shoulders.

"Sora and I…we just wanted to help!" Aki cried out, "Please Dad…"

"You were not supposed to leave the house!" Natsu yelled.

"We had a hunch!" she yelled back, "Dammit Dad, we're all feeling useless in that house and you haven't exactly been updating us with your progress!"

Sting stared at the paper Aki had passed to him, ignoring the father/daughter banter about how Aki never should have left home. Natsu was demanding for an officer to escort her back to the house.

At first glance, Sting thought the paper was empty. He flipped it, trying to figure out what it was all about, when suddenly words began to appear.

 _Cabin ahead. Daisuke, Cana and Sora are inside._ _Surrounded by demons. We need you to cover the east side. No demon can be allowed to head to town._ _Approach with caution – wait at the edge of the clearing. Do not let the guards see you. Friends have become foe, so BE VIGILANT._

 _Do NOT engage until you receive the signal. The Angels will tell you when._

Rogue read the note over Sting's shoulder. The two of them exchanged glances as Sting shoved the paper in his pocket.

"Your mother is going to be freaking out!" Natsu bellowed, "How could you do that to her? How could you abandon her like that? With the other kids and another family that's likely scared shitless!?"

"Mom has been shouldering the entire situation by herself!" Aki shouted, "We are _all_ scared _shitless_! You didn't see Laki break down. You weren't there when Megumi cried for hours because it dawned on her that she might not ever see her brother again! You want to talk about abandonment? Where in the hell have _you_ been while we have _all_ needed you!?"

She may as well have slapped him. Natsu's mouth dropped open. He was completely shell-shocked as he regarded his daughter.

She was a mess. Her hair was everywhere. Her chest heaved between the cross of running and the heated argument.

"Romeo," Rogue interrupted, silencing the arguing father and daughter, "Get Aki out of here. Take her home and then report back to Fairy Tail for duty."

"I'm not supposed to work there tonight!" Romeo started to protest, but the look in Rogue's eye made him refrain from completing his sentence.

He turned to where Natsu had Aki fully enveloped in a hug. He stroked her hair, a tear streaming down his face.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I just wanted to help find Daisuke and Cana."

"Me too," she whispered back, "We're all feeling helpless…Sora and I…we just wanted to help. Please don't make me go…not when we're so close to them."

"Where is Sora?" Sting interrupted as Natsu pulled away from the hug.

"She's at the cabin," Aki reported, "We were separated…and she was taken."

"Romeo…" Rogue begged with his eyes.

Bacchus was already walking ahead of the group, some of the officers following him. Rogue and Sting had to get ahead of them and make sure they wouldn't engage the demons outside of the cabin until they were told to do so. Plus, they would need to be fully briefed on what they could be potentially facing.

Romeo nodded, taking Aki by the arm.

"Please don't make me go!" Aki yelled, "Dad! I need to see that Daisuke and Sora are okay. Please don't make me go!"

"Aki," Natsu put his forehead down onto hers, "Your mother needs you while I'm gone. Please. Just go home. We'll be bringing Daisuke, Cana and Sora home. I promise…and I'll come home after this no matter what. Tell your mother…tell her I'll be home."

Aki nodded as her hand slipped from her father's gentle grip. Romeo put his hand on her shoulder, steering her toward the path.

"Bacchus! Get your ass back here!" Sting yelled.

Bacchus growled, but returned to the group.

"These will be the same people from the Church," Rogue told the officers once they were all together, "These are dangerous beings. We need to wait at the edge of the clearing up ahead until we receive instructions."

"Instructions from who?" one of the officers called out.

"We're dealing with demons," Sting said flatly.

Shockingly, there was little denial in the ranks. They all knew they were facing something supernatural.

"So, let's just say that we have 'beings' on our side too," Rogue continued, "Our instructions will come from them on this one."

A murmur went through the officers.

"Daisuke, Cana and Sora are in the cabin up ahead," Sting told them, pointing down the path, "We're all anxious…but we can't charge in like idiots. We are not dealing with normal criminals here. The 'beings' that are helping us know what they're doing…and this is not the first time they've helped us. Rogue and I trust them… so we're asking all of you…please wait for the signal."

Both Sting and Rogue were looking directly into Natsu's eyes. He paused, glancing from face to face, then slowly nodded. Once Natsu agreed, the other officers nodded too. Bacchus stood back from the group, his arms crossed, but he didn't protest either.

"Okay," Sting announced, turning toward the path, "Let's go."

* * *

Mira stirred. She rubbed her eyes, slowly sitting up to take in her surroundings. At first, she wasn't entirely sure where she was, but as she sat, everything started to come into focus.

She was in the Redfox attic. The other Angels who had been through training were still sleeping.

She noted the suspended message above the bed. Mavis must have left it for her.

 _When the Angels awaken, call me. The wards are in imminent danger. The Church of Zentopia has attacked. Also, Laxus's been poisoned by black lightning. I tried to slow the poison down, but there was very little I could do. Wendy needs to heal him. I had no choice but to go. The Dragneels are unprotected and there's about to be a huge confrontation. The demons are making their move. Please wake up soon…we need you all._

Mira swung her legs over the bed. Everyone else was still sleeping away peacefully. Mira found Laxus in the corner bed, panicking as she noted the shade of his skin – a gross, sickly gray.

She crossed the room quickly to him. She ran her fingers through his thick, blonde hair, begging him with her eyes to wake up. Black bolts darted from place to place.

Panic shot through her as she realized he could actually die. As a normal rule, Angels didn't face death anymore. When their souls got tired, they retired to the stars to rest, but it was not 'death' per se. This, however…this was different and Angels were not indestructible.

"You idiot," she whispered, "What did you do to get into this condition? No doubt playing the hero. Always charging in without thinking…"

Laxus groaned, opening his eyes slightly. The sclerae were black-tinged, his normally bright blue eyes dulled to a gray.

"Mira," he croaked.

"Shhh," she whispered, enveloping both his hands with hers, "You're going to be okay."

"It hurts," Laxus cried out as a sharp electric bolt overtook his entire body. He convulsed, screaming out his anguish.

Mira jumped up and moved to another bed, shaking Wendy none-too-gently, "Wake up, Wendy. Laxus needs you."

Wendy stirred slightly, but didn't open her eyes.

"C'mon Wendy!" she yelled directly in Wendy's face. Behind her, she could hear Laxus cry out a second time. Whatever Mavis had done to quell the poison, it wasn't working anymore.

She crossed the narrow path between her bed and Gray's, shaking him. He was bare chested, Juvia curled onto him, sleeping peacefully. Lyon lay on the floor beside their bed, snoring. In the next bed, Gajeel and Levy were in a similar position to Gray and Juvia. Mira poked Gajeel's ribs. He didn't even flinch. She moved on to the Exceeds bed, noting how Happy had managed to somehow place his paw on Carla's. Erza... Mira turned, seeing no point in trying. She had to wake Wendy.

Mira could feel the panic setting in as she set her sights back to the blue-haired girl. Her chest heaved as she transformed herself into her Satan's Soul form. She roared at Wendy, the wind making Wendy's hair flail.

Wendy didn't move.

"Please Wendy!" she begged, staggering backward.

She threw herself overtop of Laxus's body, holding him down as another jolt of pain overtook him. She could feel the bolts of black lightning trying to jump from his body to hers…and it hurt! She jolted back, frustrated tears streaming down her face. Laxus's extremities started turning black, the blackness worming its' way up his limbs.

Laxus stilled, a heaving sigh coming from him.

"No!" Mira exclaimed.

She straddled his body, pushing on his chest desperately, then going for his mouth to breathe for him.

"C'mon, Laxus! Fight it!" she yelled.

Laxus was completely still. She ignored the bolts of electricity, trying to transfer to her body. It was agony and even in her Satan's Soul form, Mira cried out half because of her panic and half because of her pain.

She went back to the chest compressions, frantically glancing backward toward Wendy's bed again.

"GET UP, WENDY!" she begged.

To her absolute relief, she heard Wendy yawn behind her.

* * *

Mavis was at the top of a tree overlooking the entire scene. She could see Makarov, Jellal and Erik on one side of the clearing, huddling together under a bush. On the other side, the Magnolia Police Department were waiting, concealed by more bushes…or at least they assumed they were concealed. Demons walked the perimeter of the territory. She could tell they already knew the Angels were there, and yet, they pretended to know nothing. They were biding their time…but for what?

She had her answer a moment later when the Bishop and demons from the Church arrived, convening on the Angel side of the property. Mavis did a quick count, realizing their numbers were close to 20. She gulped, thankful that Makarov was holding both forces back. Even with the police as allies, there just weren't enough Angels present to support everyone. The humans wouldn't stand a chance. She thought about calling more Angels down from Heaven, but at last report, the instructors were still training new recruits. There were no more Angels to call at the present time.

Unfortunately, it didn't look like the demons would be willing to wait until the Angels had a chance to call reinforcements.

She scanned the area, looking for signs of Lark's Aura and let out a sigh of relief when she didn't find it. She wasn't sure why he'd taken off from the Dragneel household other than that he felt everything was his fault. He would have no way of actually knowing where to find everyone. Maybe they would get lucky and he would stay away until after this confrontation. The Angels would get Daisuke and Cana back, she had no doubt…and that might calm Lark enough to go home and stay put.

She paused her train of thought, noting a commotion at the corner of the cabin. She heard the shattering window and then the clearing of glass. Frowning, she squinted, trying to pick out what was going on down there. The captured humans were scrambling to vacate the basement through a broken window, but they'd already been discovered.

The confrontation was not going to wait.

She took out her cell phone, opening the communication line to all Angels.

 ** _Mavis:_** _The human captors are making an escape attempt. Numerous demons here – at least 20 outside. Wait…they're going inside. The demons are all going inside! Jellal, Erik and Makarov – you'll need to aid our human counterparts in their escape. Do it now while the demons are out of sight! Get the police in here if you have to. Mira – are you awake yet? Any progress in waking the Angels?_

 ** _Makarov:_** _The humans – they're coming out of the basement? And the demons aren't chasing them?_

 ** _Mavis:_** _No – you'll need to cover them. They won't be alone for long._

 ** _Erik:_** _Doesn't that seem a little suspicious?_

 ** _Makarov:_** _It's entirely too suspicious. Keep your guards up! We're on it, Mavis. In the meantime, any word from the other Angels?_

 ** _Minerva:_** _Mavis called me into watch the Dragneels while she goes after Larcade._ _Everything is quiet here for now. Lucy and Laki are laying down. The Dragneel children are restless._

 ** _Michelle:_** _Romeo and Jet will be the police reporting for duty at Fairy Tail tonight. Something is wrong here. But we can't put our foot on it. The prisoners are really antsy._

 ** _Mavis:_** _We're all antsy. With any luck, the other Angels will respond soon. They should be waking up. I'm going to maintain visual from my vantage point, but Makarov…I'm not far if my intervention is required. So far, there's no sign of Larcade. He's out there somewhere and if he's coming, I need to stop him. I suspect they're trying to draw him out. We CANNOT let them succeed! Good luck, Angels._

Mavis put her cell phone away, watching Makarov, Jellal, and Erik retreat deeper into the woods to get a closer angle on the escaping humans without alerting the demon guards.

"Be safe everyone," she whispered.

* * *

Lark put the cell phone back in his pocket. He still couldn't figure out how to access the text message that had been sent earlier due to the 'unauthorized' notification, but he'd heard that broadcast loud and clear. He had no idea how close he could get to the location without his Aura being detected. For now, he remained a good distance away, waiting.

* * *

Byro and Sugarboy closed the door to the stairwell, noting Mary sitting with the Bishop on the couch, casually drinking some tea.

A red-haired demon with wild eyes wavered on her feet in the corner, hovering over the couch like she was drunk.

"They're outside," Byro told her.

"Okay," Mary nodded, "Then we'll let them get to the other side of the cabin. I can feel more Angel presences…but we have a few minutes. They're not all here yet."

"What if the humans get to the path?" Sugarboy asked.

Mary rolled her eyes, "Don't _let_ them get that far. The idea is to force the Angels out of hiding. The humans are on their way to where the police are waiting. If we force the Angels to come out…"

"Then _he'll_ come out too," Byro finished, "And you're sure he'll be here?"

Mary nodded, the glint in her eye blinding as she flashed to her Hughes form momentarily, "He'll come."

Sugarboy and Byro nodded before disappearing from her sight. Mary smiled, turning back to the Bishop.

"Are you ready? To face your old allies?"

The Bishop's eyes were glazed as he nodded mechanically.

"Good," She replied happily, Hughes flickering back again, a hungry look in his gaze, "Very good."

* * *

"The trail is up here!" Toby pointed.

Yuka was running, his hand securely fastened around Sora's as he steered her toward the park. Behind them, Cana was supporting Daisuke. Her arm was around his torso and she was half-dragging him. He didn't make any noise, doing his best to move forward on his own power.

"There it is!" Toby cried out excitedly.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Yuka chastised, "You're going to alert the guards."

Toby frowned, looking over his shoulder, "Yuka…where are the guards?"

Yuka froze, turning to glance back at the cabin, "You're right…something's wrong."

"Keep going!" Cana urged, "We need all the headway we can get!"

"Sugarboy and Byro though," Toby said slowly, "They let us go too easily. We should not have made it!"

Daisuke sucked in a breath, the five of them scanning the area.

"They're using us," Sora whispered, "They wanted us outside."

"So what do we do?" Yuka asked Cana, "Go back to the cabin?"

Cana scanned the path in front of them, her fear compounding as she spotted the hiding men up ahead.

"Oh my Mavis," she whispered.

The cops were crouched in the bushes. Any semblance of whatever had possessed Natsu to run like a madman was gone now. He was Natsu again as he watched the cabin with his brethren.

"Daisuke," Rogue whispered. He moved mechanically, leaving the bushes and heading straight for the group of teenagers and Cana. He broke out into a full out run, the other officers leaving their places to follow him.

"Stop!" Sting yelled, "We were told to wait!"

He took in a deep breath, emerging from his spot as well. It was too late. Nobody was going to listen. Naturally, Natsu and Rogue were at the head of the charge.

"DAISUKE!" Rogue yelled.

The teenagers were glancing around their surroundings, their eyes wide with fear. At first, Daisuke's face reflected his absolute relief that his father had found him, but soon it changed to dread.

"Go back!" Daisuke bellowed, "It's a trap, Dad!"

Rogue kept running, Natsu on his heels. They were 100 feet from the teenagers.

"Get out of here!" Sora screamed.

Cana had dropped Daisuke's arm, her make-shift weapon ready, "Sting! Rogue! _Don't come any closer!_ "

Natsu barred his arm to keep Rogue from going any further. Rogue pushed back, his anger flaring.

"Something's not right," Natsu sniffed the air. Rogue froze, catching the red glint.

They appeared all at once – the demons of every form and shape materializing from the ground. There were so many more than Mavis's estimation of 20. Their arrival formed an automatic barrier between the teenagers and the police officers. Even so, a woman appeared at the head of the emerging demons, her jet-black hair marred only by a single white streak in her bangs. She lifted her hand, causing a fire circle to encase their long-term prisoners. The fire circle seemed to be closing in on them. Cana stood in front of the teenagers, shielding them with her wide-open arms as the demons lost no time in attacking the officers.

"Get in the middle!" she ordered as Sora screamed, the searing heat threatening to burn them all alive.

* * *

Mira raced to Wendy's bedside, grabbing both arms as Wendy tried to roll over and go back to sleep.

"Wake up!" she yelled in her face, "Wendy!"

Wendy stirred slightly, trying to keep her eyes closed as Mira shook her.

"Please Wendy! Don't go back to sleep! Laxus needs you!"

Wendy's eyes fluttered open, confused about the look of panic on Mira's face.

"Mira?" she asked, yawning again.

Mira was yanking on her arm, trying to get her out of bed, "Laxus needs you _now_!"

Wendy caught sight of Laxus behind Mira, convulsing on the bed as he released another agonized scream. She bolted upright, pushing past Mira to fall by his side.

"What happened?" she demanded.

"He was poisoned!" Mira told her, "I don't know how – Mavis left a very vague note."

Wendy nodded, placing both hands on his torso. She yelped, jerking back as a black lightning bolt electrocuted both hands.

"Please Wendy! He's dying!" Mira cried out.

"I'm trying!" Wendy yelled back.

She took a deep breath, trying to lay her hands on his torso again. The black lightning bolts traveled up his body to her hands, attacking them. This time, Wendy persevered, forcing her ability into his body.

"Hold him down!" Wendy shouted.

"What the hell?" Gajeel grumbled, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.

Mira threw her body on top of Laxus's legs. He inadvertently threw her up in the air with one of his convulsions. Gajeel steam-rolled out of bed, staggering to Laxus's head to hold down his shoulders.

"What's going on?" he demanded irritably.

"He's been poisoned," Mira replied, crying out as one of the lightning bolts shocked her, "We have to hold him down!"

"I'll help!" Juvia announced, joining them. She bounded to the other side of the bed, holding down his left arm while Levy appeared to hold down the right. Unfortunately, Levy was very light and Laxus threw her backward almost immediately. Gray touched her shoulder on his way past her, ensuring she was okay, then took over the right arm.

"Thanks guys," Wendy poured all her healing as hard as she could.

The lightning bolts seemed to fight back. Laxus screamed again, the gray that was shading his face starting to turn red instead.

"A little more!" Wendy yelled.

She was throwing so much from her own body into his, that her hair flailed like it was in the midst of a severe windstorm. She knew she was overdoing it, but Laxus's body was rebelling against the healing, or rather the lightning bolts were.

Several minutes passed before Wendy realized there were less lightning bolts…and Laxus wasn't convulsing anymore. Tears from the strain of using her ability so strenuously trickled down Wendy's face as she collapsed on top of him.

"Is that it?" Mira asked hopefully.

Wendy sat up, running her hand down the side of Laxus's face. She pulled up an eyelid, noting they had returned to normal.

"Yeah," she whispered, "We did it."

The Angels exchanged relieved glances, just as Wendy wavered and crashed to the ground.

* * *

The police stood no chance. Some of the demons used mud attacks, fire attacks, and even water or ice attacks. There were so many different forms of ability, the chaos was indescribable as the demons began taking out the small police opposition. Sting and Rogue went straight into battle mode, dodging attacks and firing their guns. There was no time for protocol. These demons wouldn't hesitate to kill them…they needed every defence they had.

Natsu stayed alongside them, his body heated as he swung at each demon opponent with his fists. Bacchus stood back, completely baffled at what he was witnessing before removing a wine bottle from his coat pocket, using it to whack a demon who had been about to slime Rogue. He took a long swig, replaced the cap, then found new opponents to whack with his bottle. As an MMA champion, he ought to be able to bust a few heads.

Rogue and Bacchus began to move together, hurrying to cut a path through the brawl to get to their loved ones. Cana was gathering the four teens with her toward the centre of the ring of fire, trying to shelter them from the flames with her own body.

"Magical barrier!" a voice screamed out.

Cana, the teenagers, Rogue, and Bacchus all looked up as a blue-haired man appeared out of nowhere. He slammed his fist into his hand. For some reason, that erected a barrier of light around Cana and the teenagers, shielding them from the flames.

"Poison Angel's Twin Fang!" Another voice yelled. A second man with dark maroon hair descended out of nowhere, slamming his attack down in the centre of a dozen demons. They blew backwards, stunned from the sudden attack.

"Erik! Jellal!" Sting called out, his gratitude at the intrusion shining through on his face.

"Fall back!" Jellal told him, "Get your men out of here!"

Sting nodded, forcing his men back to the treeline. He had to have Natsu and another officer drag Rogue backward. He was not willing to give up – not when he could visibly see his son for the first time in days.

"Daisuke!" Rogue screamed. He elbowed Natsu in his attempt to break free.

Jellal and Erik stood side by side, facing the remnants of the demon forces. Erik's attack had stunned them, but not taken them out.

"Hi boys!" Sugarboy yelled, raising a hand, "We meet again!"

"Yeah – sorry your colleague can't join you this time," another demon taunted, "That big blonde brute must have been tired after that battle…he's probably having a long nap about now."

Jellal shot him with a light beam, aiming for the torso. It shot through the demon, definitely not killing him, but definitely shutting him up.

"So few Angels," the dark-haired female demon said loudly, moving to the front of the demon force, "Where are the rest of you?"

"This is it," Erik spat.

She shook her head, "Noooo…. I think there should be some more yet."

She frowned, raising an eyebrow and putting out a pouting lip as she saw the barrier protecting their captives.

"Byro, their barrier is preventing my fire from roasting our guests alive. Do something about that, would you?"

Byro waved his hand. Immediately, the trapped humans felt the lick of flames again, screaming as Cana resumed her protective stance.

"Did he just _nullify_ my spell?" Jellal asked incredulously.

Natsu balled his fists, the red gleam back in his eye as he stood with Rogue and Sting at the edge of the property. Sting and two other officers held Rogue back as he shrieked his rage, trying to bolt for Daisuke and the others.

"Natsu," Sting warned, "Keep it together. We can't afford to have you going AWOL now."

Sting's attempt for control was futile. Natsu couldn't hear him anymore, his chest heaving as he stalked out of the protection of the forest. All the officers' mouths dropped open as Natsu's fists lit up in fire, then his entire body. Even Rogue stopped struggling as he watched his friend – a friend that he'd worked with for over 16 years – change right before their eyes. Sting and Rogue were aware that Natsu was a former Angel…but this…was it even Angelic?

Jellal and Erik separated, using every ounce of their abilities to counter the attacking demons. As much as they wanted to understand what was happening to Natsu, there was no time to stare.

Several demons were caught in his inferno, screaming in agony as they burned in his path.

Natsu didn't even flinch, continuing on his way toward the trapped children and Cana. Another group of demons charged him, Byro raising his hands again, presumably to nullify his magic. Both Jellal and Erik flanked him at that point, assisting Natsu in eradicating every demon that stood in their way. Jellal blew Byro back with a forceful light attack.

Sugarboy released a wall of slime, entrapping some of the officers who had dared to cross into the range of attack. Mary stood back, watching.

"You can't fight fire with fire!" Erik told him, "How can we get through to Cana and Daisuke?"

Natsu didn't say a word, his eyes glowing a solid red as he sucked in his breath. Suddenly the ring of fire surrounding the children and Cana flickered, then flowed directly into Natsu's mouth.

"Mavis," Sting whispered from the treeline, "Is he…eating it?"

Satisfied that the prisoners were safe for the time being, Natsu turned, raising his hands to his lips. He breathed out, shooting off the fire he'd just eaten like bullets. Demons were scattering, screaming for mercy.

"Mavis," Jellal echoed, coming to stand beside Sting.

Natsu didn't need the other Angels. He was vanquishing the threat all on his own, powerfully countering every attack that was thrown at him. He burned away Sugarboy's slime and deflected a Divine Arrow from Byro. Most of the officers had left the bush now, joining their comrades at the edge of the clearing, watching Natsu in awe. What he didn't burn away with fire, he pounded with his fists.

"He's incredible," Erik let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he shot a poison arrow directly into a demon's side.

Mary and the Bishop stood on the other end of the cabin, watching the chaos Natsu was dishing out. She tightened her grip on her stick, immobilizing the kidnapees. Rogue and Sting made a break for Daisuke and the others, Jellal and Erik flanking their sides for protection. Both released rapid attacks as more demons launched their abilities at them.

"We can't let our prisoners go yet," Mary told the Bishop, "We managed to release the beast…now let's contain it and put these Angels to rest. We still have much to achieve."

The Bishop nodded, transforming from the old man to his former Angel form of Orga. He roared, jumping 30 feet in one jump to block the Angels, Sting, and Rogue's path.

His fingers emitted the black lightning that had taken Laxus down as he stormed toward Natsu. Mavis recognized it from her perch right away. She closed her eyes, searching for any sign of Lark's Aura once more. He wasn't there, so she leapt from her branch, landing right in front of Orga. Jellal and Erik pushed Sting and Rogue to keep going, letting Mavis handle the wayward former Angel.

"Are you a fallen Angel or do they have control of you, Orga Itsuka?" she demanded, assuming an attack stance.

"I am Orga," the demon replied noncommittally, raising his hands to attack her first.

"Either way, you need to look deep inside of yourself right about now. Do you really want to hurt your fellow Angels?" Mavis demanded.

"That's no Angel," Orga bellowed, pointing at Natsu, "My sole purpose is to take down that abomination."

"Your whole purpose is serve mankind and Heaven!" Mavis shot back, "Wake up, Orga! You've been possessed! Throw the Bishop out of your body!"

Jellal and Erik, flanking Rogue and Sting, were almost at their destination.

"Dad!" Daisuke yelled.

Sora was backed up against him, holding his side gently. It had started bleeding again.

"I'm coming, Daisuke!" Rogue shouted.

Mavis kept her eyes locked with Orga's, approaching slowly, "You don't want to do this, Orga."

Natsu roared, shooting a wall of flame at a dozen demons.

"There's no choice! Do you _know_ who he is?" Orga demanded.

She nodded, "I know exactly who he is."

Orga shrieked, releasing thick bolts of black lightning at Natsu. Mavis threw her body in between, taking the full brunt of the shocks. She screamed, her hair standing straight up as the lightning coursed through her body. She released her own attack, deflecting the lightning back to Orga. His entire body was glowing purple as he sank to the ground.

"Mavis!" Makarov yelled, appearing at her side. He caught her as she fell, lowering her gently to the ground.

Mavis waved a hand at him, "I'll be fine. Stop the attack. Save our family."

Makarov glanced around the battlefield, noting the police officers buried in Sugarboy's slime. Natsu had a dozen demons on him, regardless of his flame-lit body. More demons rushed Cana and the teenagers, throwing their attacks at Jellal and Erik as quickly as they could deflect them.

He closed his eyes and concentrated…and started to enlarge. Soon, he towered over the other beings fighting on the ground. He began using his fists to crush individual demons.

"Hmm," Mary sighed, "It seems only 4 Angels can pack a punch after all."

She paused, closing her eyes as she tuned out the entire battle, searching. A slow smile spread over her lips.

"He's here."

* * *

The Angels, including the Exceeds, were fully awake now and gathered around Wendy who was now laying in her own bed again.

"Wendy?" Mira asked as she stirred slightly, "Are you okay?"

"Laxus!" Wendy yelped, sitting straight up.

He was sleeping peacefully, his colour fully restored to normal.

"He's okay," Mira told her gratefully, "There's no more poisoned lightning and he's not in pain anymore."

"Looks like you really did get stronger," Gray told her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "We're very proud of you."

Wendy blushed, looking down at her fingers. Deep down, she wondered if she would have been able to save him pre-training.

"We need to contact Lucy and make sure Sora's okay," Levy piped up.

"And Mavis to find out what's going on," Erza added.

Mira nodded, taking out her cell phone. Oddly, Mavis didn't answer. She scrolled upward, re-reading the last texts.

"They found Daisuke and Cana," she told them, her eyes wide, "But Aki and Sora disappeared from the Dragneel house too! The coordinates on the phone is where they all are!"

"We better go," Juvia grabbed Gray's arm, "We're ready…right?"

"Sure, we are," Gajeel grunted, "Ain't no way they're gonna mess with my baby girl!"

"I'll stay with Laxus and Wendy," Mira told them.

"I'm fine!" Wendy insisted, "My strength is back – I need to go too."

She locked eyes with Mira, silently pleading with her eyes.

"Okay," Mira said finally, "Be careful."

Wendy bounded out of bed, standing alongside the team of Angels and Exceeds.

Mira gave them a little wave, then they disappeared.

* * *

"Master, we beseech you," Mary called, opening her arms wide to the skies. She was careful not to bump her stick, maintaining her hold on her prisoners' bodies, "The Son approaches. Grant us the strength to contain him!"

Sting, Rogue, Jellal and Erik were making progress, narrowing the 100-foot gap between them and their destination by about 50 feet. The teenagers and Cana were seemingly frozen, unable to move at all. Rogue approached his son with tears edging his eyes. Daisuke was in bad shape. His eyes were swollen and Rogue could see the deep red stain on his torso, but he was alive. That was motivation enough for Rogue to keep going, regardless of the fact that demons threw attacks directly at him. Lucky for him, Jellal and Erik were doing a great job of deflecting everything. On the opposite end of the battlefield, Natsu was wreaking havoc against his demons. On a third side, Master Makarov was teaching demons a lesson or two as well.

"What's she doing?" Sting asked Jellal, indicating the strange chanting demon.

"I don't know," Jellal frowned, "but we can't bother with her at the moment."

Sting nodded, elbowing a demon who approached from behind in the gut.

"Poison Angel's Grip Strike!" Erik yelled. He grabbed the demon, releasing his power point blank. The demon keeled over.

"I don't like how she's grinning," Sting interrupted, glancing back at Mary again.

Mary was not only grinning, she was outright cackling with laughter as she raised her hands above her head, clapping them.

"What in the hell is she doing?" Erik demanded, now concerned too.

A new demon appeared. Jellal's eyes widened as he recognized him…he was the man from the fire show at Akane…Arlock.

Natsu froze too, recognizing the man.

"Have you been practicing?" Arlock asked Natsu with a cocky grin, throwing his hands toward the ground, "Magic barrier!"

Jellal, Erik, Sting and Rogue felt the ground underneath their feet quake, forcing them all to jump to one side as a barrier rose from the ground, cutting them off from Cana and the teenagers.

"DAD!" Daisuke yelled.

Arlock turned, facing the other direction. He erected a second barrier, cutting Natsu off from the rest of the allied Angels. Mavis still lay on the ground between the two barriers. Lightning leapt from her skin. She tried to get up, but collapsed again. Mary's laugh grew harder as everyone began to panic. Natsu tested the wall with his fire, only to have it ricochet back at him. Makarov, on the same side as Natsu, tried to bring a gigantic fist overtop of the wall to smash it, but the wall grew to destroy his efforts.

Bacchus, who was edging around the forest, trying to get closer to Cana's group was on the outside of the barrier now too, pounding at the wall as he screamed out his anger.

"Come on out, little bird!" Mary sing-songed, "I know you're there! Byro! Nullify their powers please!"

Byro grinned like a maniac, calling out his attack. The Angels faltered, then realized their abilities had been stolen from them. Natsu's fire went out. Makarov shrunk back to his normal size. Erik's poison ability waned, then disappeared. Even Jellal's light abilities were halted.

Mavis lifted her head, sensing her worst fear: Larcade was there somewhere. Her body was weak. She could feel the agony that Laxus had endured, lightning bolts stabbing her at every part of her body. She was too weak to warn him.

"Please Larcade…don't come out," she begged silently.

The entire battlefield had come to a halt, staring as he appeared at the edge of the clearing. He approached the barrier, unsurprised when a doorway appeared for him.

"Lark!" Natsu roared. All his fire had disappeared with the nullification spell. The red light in his eyes was gone, "What are you doing?! Get the hell outta there."

Lark took a deep breath, then stepped through the doorway. He could see the devastation the battle had already caused. His eyes fell to Mavis's. She was sprawled on the ground, trying desperately to get up so that she could protect him. Natsu had cuts and bruises all over him. Ahead of him, he could see Daisuke, Sora, and Cana, all looking beaten and exhausted. Daisuke was in really bad shape.

It was all because of him. Lark was terrified. His heart was beating so loudly, he was sure every person present could hear it. He tried to ignore the tears streaming down Sora's face, willingly forcing himself closer to the female demon who continued to cackle boisterously.

Her form altered, transforming into a male. He stared Lark down.

"Are you the Son?" he asked.

Despite the fact that he looked mostly human, the man was undeniably demon. His eyes gleamed black as he stared at Lark. Lark swallowed.

"I don't know what that means," he remarked.

"That's not the truth and we both know it," the man told him.

Orga was getting off the ground, transforming back to the man everyone knew as 'the Bishop'. Being that he was injured by his own attack, the symptoms had disappeared completely. He joined Hughes by his side, looking Lark up and down.

"Do you see Angels, boy?" he demanded.

Lark glanced from face to face. Natsu was on the other side of the divide, watching intently. He could almost feel Natsu's fear emanating to him. He could also feel Mavis's eyes on him, begging him to deny it…and Sora and Daisuke's eyes from the other side of him, also begging him to say he couldn't see Angels.

"I see them," he confirmed, his head straight. The Angels around him protested loudly as the demons celebrated their completed mission.

Lark stared the man directly in the eyes. He could see Natsu and the other cops on the other side of the barrier. Natsu was screaming, pounding at the barrier with both fists. Rogue and Sting were on the other side beside Jellal and Erik, too stunned to move. A dozen other cops had their guns aimed and ready to fire. Bacchus was throwing himself into the barrier wall where Lark had passed through, bellowing to Cana that he was coming.

"Aren't you going to run, Larcade Dragneel?" the Bishop taunted.

Lark shook his head firmly, balling his fists, "No. If it's me you want, then take me...but leave everyone else alone."

The Bishop cackled, "How would you like to watch everyone you love die instead!?"

He raised his arms, gathering lightning in a ball above his head, aiming it directly at Cana and the teenagers.

Lark held a single hand up, looking the Bishop straight in the eyes, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Orga paused, watching as Lark calmly took another step forward. He appeared calm and confident, despite the emotional pulls inside of him.

"I will do as you ask…but the Angels and humans – all of them – go free," Lark insisted.

"What do you want with him?" Natsu screeched, slamming his body into the wall repeatedly.

"You will be sacrificed," the Bishop told Lark directly, ignoring the angered humans and Angels around them, "The Master requires your sacrifice to bring about his true power. At that point, high powered demons will no longer be confined to Hell."

Lark swallowed, trying to keep his face straight, "That's the deal. Me for all of them."

"NO!" Mavis screamed, trying again to get up. Black lightning seized her body, sending her into convulsions.

"Lark, don't be stupid!" Jellal yelled, "There's got to be another way to end this!"

Lark turned to him, willing himself to remain calm, "Thank you, Angels…for your years of protection. But the only way to save my family and friends is to accept that this is going to happen. I hope you'll continue to protect them."

His eyes landed on Sora. He offered her a meek smile, trying not to cringe as she screamed. Her body was still frozen. Daisuke shook his head, begging him with his eyes to reconsider.

He moved his gaze to Natsu, mouthing the words he'd reflected on only moments before, " _I love you, Dad...I'm sorry_."

"Enough!" the Bishop yelled, raising his hands to prepare an attack. Mary clapped her hands in delight. The other demons transported inside the barrier to get a front row seat. Lark closed his eyes, begging for a miracle. He thought of his family again, remembering each face in detail.

"I love you all…but this is how it has to be," he reminded himself, "My family and friends will never be free as long as I'm around."

He heard the clash of metal suddenly, his eyes flying open as he noted the newcomers on the inside on the barrier. Gajeel whacked the Bishop backward with an iron bat formed out of his arms, effectively halting the attack before springing backward to join the other Angels who had surrounded Lark.

Wendy backed up beside him, poised to attack.

"Welcome back!" Lark exclaimed.

Wendy grinned back, never breaking her gaze from the threat ahead of them, "Good to be back...sorry we're late."

"Forget your asinine plan to give yourself up, kid!" Gajeel smacked him upside the back of his head, "That's bullshit and you know it!"

He glanced over to Sora, still frozen only feet away from him.

"You are _so grounded!"_ he shook his finger at her.

" _SO grounded!"_ Levy reiterated.

Sora's mouth dropped open, watching as her parents turned to face their enemies.

Somehow, the fact that Levy and Gajeel were Angels didn't phase her...Cana was staring at a different newcomer.

"Juvia?!" Cana exclaimed, her eyes wide with both excitement and disbelief.

She knew her Fairy Tail family and friends were guarded by Angels…but never had she considered that Juvia would remain around them. Of course, now that she thought about it, she wasn't surprised that Juvia was one of the Angels watching over them. It was a touching thought to realize Juvia still looked after Cana and her friends in death, just as she did in life. She couldn't contain the onslaught of tears caused by seeing her dear friend so many years after her death.

The teenagers were confused at Cana's sudden change in demeanor.

"That's Juvia Lockser," Daisuke realized, recognizing the blue-haired woman from the photo still kept front and centre at Fairy Tail. Suddenly, he could understand Cana's reaction.

Juvia offered them a little wave, then refocused her attention on the demons in front of her. She went to work with Gray, blowing the gathered demons backward with a combination of water and ice attacks. Lyon flanked the other side of Juvia, coordinating his ice attacks with Gray's perfectly. The combination in addition to Juvia's water attacks blew back demons left and right.

The Exceeds went for Natsu, lifting him over the barrier while Gajeel and Levy went straight for the Bishop. She supplied some iron for Gajeel, which he used promptly to make her a shield that would deflect any lightning the Bishop sent her way.

Erza backed herself up between Erik and Jellal, narrowing her eyes at Sugarboy and Byro, who were still blocking the way to the teenagers. She reached over, squeezing Jellal's hand lightly in greeting. He squeezed it back, wishing they had more of a moment to reunite.

Erik tackled Byro, sending him to the ground. The nullification voided and Erik and Jellal could feel their power returning to them.

"The man's stick!" Sora yelled, "That's how he's seizing our bodies!"

"Really now?" Erza asked, eyeing the stick. She did a triple backflip, landing right beside Hughes. She threw the stick up in the air, slicing it with a sword that she called to her through Requip on the spot. The teenagers and Cana hit the ground as Erza pursued Hughes.

"Bring down the barriers!" Gray yelled to the Exceeds.

The Exceeds dropped Natsu practically on top of Arlock, Natsu slamming his fist into his head. Arlock blacked out and disappeared, releasing the barriers.

"This is going to be fun," Sugarboy growled as Gray came to a stop in front of him, "I believe I wiped the floor with you the last time we met."

"We'll face him together, my Love!" Juvia exclaimed.

Gray shook his head, "No. You go ahead. Mavis is down! Protect her!"

Juvia nodded, taking off toward Mavis.

Lyon paused, catching Gray's eye.

"Stay by her side. Don't let anything happen to her or I'll kick your ass," Gray told him, turning his attention back to Sugarboy, "I've got this."

Lyon nodded, accepting Gray's way of telling him he trusted him, "I'll protect her with my life."

Wendy hopped over bodies, B-lining for Mavis as she realized she was suffering from the same illness Laxus had been.

"I need protection!" she screamed, completely ignoring everything else because she _knew_ one of them would deliver and keep the demons off her back while she healed Mavis. Suddenly, Makarov was beside her, re-growing to his enormous size. Lyon was on the side, sending out a barrage of ice hawks to ward off the incoming demons. Juvia threw out a tidal wave, knocking demons back from the third side.

"You won't stop us," Sugarboy hissed at Gray.

"We can and we will!" Gray replied, slamming his fists together, "ICE MAKE: CANNON!"

Sugarboy grew a mound of slime, absorbing the fire of the ice cannon, then shot directly at Gray.

"ICE MAKE: SHIELD!" Gray yelled.

The slime hit the shield, disintegrating it partially. Gray tossed it aside, reassuming his attack position.

"You've been practicing," Sugarboy growled.

"Yeah," Gray replied, "And that's why you're going down this time."

"Not if I take you first!" Sugarboy screamed, sending off sludge bullets directly at Gray.

Gray maintained his stance, "ICE MAKE: ICE GEYSER!"

Sugarboy lost his balance, his attacks falling to the ground. The acidic content melted into it, causing holes.

Sugarboy was impressed, "Not bad! You've been training hard!"

Gray stuck his hand, curling his fingers toward his body, "That's right, asshole. This time, I'll put up one helluva fight."

Sugarboy laughed gleefully, then charged.

Gajeel and Levy worked in tandem. Levy kept scripting B-O-U-L-D-E-R and Gajeel batted them with an iron bat toward demons. They were incredibly accurate, slamming demons to the ground. Most of the demons got up again, charging over and over.

Across the clearing, Sora stared at them, her mouth wide open. She had always known deep down that her parents were different…but there was no explanation for what they were doing now. Her emotions fluttered from anger at their deception to amazement.

Natsu was still a long ways from the teenagers, appearing confused as hell as he dodged attacks. His fire was gone, nullified by Byro's attack. Whatever had driven him to his 'other form' was gone now and he was just Natsu.

But that didn't stop him from getting some really good headshots in.

"Who are they?" Yuka whispered, watching as Erza requipped to her Heaven's Wheel. She released the attack, hitting several demons at once. Her eyes followed Hughes' movements through the chaos. She took out another dozen demons, trying to follow him, but was blocked by another hoard.

"Those," Daisuke said in awe, his eyes falling to Wendy as she released a Sky Angel's roar, "are Lark's Angels."

Lark was running for Daisuke, Sora, and Cana, pointing to the edge of the forest. They all broke into a run. Lark suddenly halted, glaring at Toby and Yuka as they tried to follow.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded, grabbing Yuka and Toby both by their shirts. He threw up against a nearby tree.

"Lark, no!" Cana yelled, "They're our allies!"

"Allies!" Lark shouted, "Last I heard, they were bullying us!"

"Well, they're allies now!" Sora bellowed, throwing her body between Lark and Toby and Yuka, "A lot has happened, Lark…we just want to go home…and Toby and Yuka are coming with us."

Lark paused, looking from face to face. Toby and Yuka were both white-faced, knowing if Lark clocked them both, they'd deserve it. Cana placed a hand on his arm, shaking her head. Daisuke had joined Sora, standing between Lark and the offending pair.

Nodding, Lark released his hold, ushering all of them toward the deeper treeline.

"Not so fast!" Hughes appeared in front of them, anger flashing in his eyes as he lifted his arms, summoning more demons from the ground.

They were completely surrounded, despite the ongoing battle around them.

"You made me a promise, Son," Hughes hissed, stalking straight for Lark. Lark subconsciously backed up a few steps, pushing his friends away from him, "I'm going to sacrifice you if it's the last thing I do."

The Bishop appeared next to him, conjuring up his lightning ball again.

Erza roared, desperately trying to rid herself of the demons that deterred her from reaching Hughes.

Wendy was pouring her healing into Mavis as fast as she could, but they'd both paused to stare at the new imminent danger. Despite trying to hold her down, Mavis rolled out of Wendy's grip, forcing her body forward.

"You're only half-healed!" Wendy cried out.

Mavis groaned, forcing herself to persevere through another lightning bolt attack. She staggered as she walked.

Wendy grabbed for Mavis's shoulder, trying to halt her. Instead, Mavis caught her hand.

"Wendy…take Lark and transport him out of here," Mavis told her.

"What about the others? They'll all be captured – and what about –"

"Wendy!" Mavis barked, catching her attention. Her body spasmed as another lightning bolt careened through her. She fell to her knees, then forced herself up, "Just do it. Get him out of here. The other Angels will protect the rest of the humans."

Wendy nodded slowly, glancing at Lark who now stared at the lightning ball, accepting his fate head-on.

"On the count of three," Mavis told her, tears edging her eyes as she cast one last glance at Lark. They locked eyes, "One."

"Two," Wendy prepared to transport.

"Tell him I love him," Mavis whispered, "THREE!"

Both Angels transported, Wendy appearing briefly enough to grab Lark and transport again. Mavis reappeared directly in the line of fire of the lightning ball. It hit her dead on, sending her flying backward. Her scream ceased all activity on the entire battlefield.

"MAVIS!" Makarov roared, plunging through demons to get to her.

Erza finished with the demons she was fighting, following Makarov as Gajeel and Levy joined them on the other side. Natsu froze, completely confused at everything that had just happened. Mavis was down and Lark…was gone.

Mavis pulled on Levy's shirt, bringing her down to her ear. She whispered, then closed her eyes, disappearing in a flash of light.

With the disappearance of Mavis, the demons also started to disintegrate left and right, poofing into oblivion. By the time it was over, even Hughes, the Bishop, Byro and Sugarboy were gone.

Angels and humans alike stared at each other in utter confusion.

"She used 'Fairy Law'," Makarov whispered, "She obliterated all that Fairy Tail sees as enemies."

"No," Jellal shook his head, "I don't think so. Look. Mavis's cell is on the ground."

"So what in the hell happened?" Erik asked, stooping to pick up the phone.

Makarov's head fell, "They took her."

"But didn't they want Lark?" Jellal asked.

All three Angels stared at each other, their eyes widening.

"They took Mavis and now they're going after Larcade," Makarov hissed.

"We failed," Juvia whispered.

"Mavis…" Levy cried out.

"She threw herself in front of Lark," Erza said softly.

The Angels hit the ground, feeling the overwhelming sense of grief overtake them as they realized that Mavis was gone.

Around them, the humans were celebrating. Rogue was running for Daisuke, temporarily forgetting his son's injuries as he picked him up off the ground, wrapping him in a bear hug. Levy and Gajeel enveloped their daughter, then continued to chastise her, telling her she was likely to be grounded for life. Bacchus whirled Cana around in a circle, kissing her full on the lips. Yuka and Toby blushed as they realized they were…sort of using tongue. Cana laughed at their red faces, shoving them both in front of Bacchus so she could introduce them.

Natsu was on his knees, tears streaming down his face. He had no idea what just happened…but Lark was gone…and he had no explanations at all.

Across the clearing, Sting regarded it all. There were a lot of officers down. He reached into his pocket for his radio. He would have to call an ambulance...more accurately, _several_ ambulances.

"I don't understand," Natsu was shaking his head back and forth, obviously in shock, "What just happened? Where is my son?"

Gray and Juvia each put a hand on Natsu's back, sending comfort through him. Lyon stood back, admiring how well Juvia and Gray worked together to ease their friend's pain. The Exceeds gathered around him, Happy throwing himself into Natsu's arms.

"Strawberry Floofy?" Natsu asked, noticing the pure white cat at his side through blurry eyes, his tears finally overtaking him, "Is it really you?"

She nodded, placing a paw on his arm, ""Everything is going to be okay, Natsu."

After a moment where he was damned sure he was going to faint from the fact that his cat could talk, he turned his gaze to Pantherlily and then…

"Happy?!"

Happy snuggled up into his arms, "Aye Sir!"

Natsu wavered, his eyes rolling back to the back of his head as he thudded to the ground.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well? Was it worth it? Shoot me off a review and let me know! So excited for the next parts!**_

 _ **A Reminder - Angel of Oops is a year old NEXT WEEK - I'll be putting a 3 - chapter short story together to commemorate the date, so please look forward to that!**_

 _ **I want to extend a special thank you for my editing team for the extraordinary efforts they've been putting forth. They are not only my editing team, but my idea-bouncing team, and my artists! They spent countless hours reading and re-reading my revamps...thank you Wordsaremyspells 1331 and OtakuPrincess28. We all worked ultra-hard on this chapter - so please give it some love by leaving a review!**_

 _ **Wordsaremyspells 1331 drew the new cover for Oops 2 and OtakuPrincess28 drew the new cover for Angel of Oops! Feel free to give them a shout out! Such amazing art work!**_

 _ **Please, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT OR PM! I love hearing from you - it drives me forward!**_

* * *

 _ **Ready for your sneak peak? Here goes:**_

 _ **SNEAK PEAK - ANGEL OF OOPS 2 : ANGELS OF THE DISCERNING SON - CHAPTER 28...**_

 _Chills ran down her back, making every hair on her head stand up as she recognized the voice. It could only belong to one person._

 _She felt a cloth dab at her eyes, removing the dirt that had crusted there. She felt the jab of the lightning bolt careen across her body, causing her to convulse. She was afraid to open her eyes. She didn't want to face him yet. When she slept, there was no pain. Just let her sleep a little longer._

 _"I'll ease the pain of the lighting bolts soon," the voice promised her, gently dabbing at the rest of her face, "Open your eyes, Mavis."_

 _"No!" she seethed, "I don't want to see you!"_

 _He chuckled, dabbing the sweat off her forehead, "Sweetheart, there's nowhere for you to go. Look at me. Let me look at you. You have to open your eyes sometime."_


	28. Chapter 28

Romeo and Aki were nearing the edge of the forest. Romeo adjusted his grip on both her shoulders to accommodate as she tried to break free. There was another loud bang behind them and Romeo had to resist the urge to cover his ears as Aki released another high-pitched scream. The loud bangs set her off the most – she was going to try running again.

Sure enough, Aki attempted to spin on her heel toward the forest, her face contorting with desperation as the booming of the battle echoed in the distance.

"I need to go back!" she screamed, trying to break free from his hold, "Something bad is happening!"

"Get in the car, Aki," Romeo ordered in a flat voice, trying to restrain her without hurting her, "We were told to leave for a reason! Whatever is happening, the cops will handle it!"

"They're not dealing with regular criminals!" Aki protested, pushing Romeo back with all her might. She tried to dart around him, screaming out her frustration when he blocked her.

"That's right – _they're not dealing with regular criminals_!" Romeo yelled, "Don't you get it, Aki? It's not safe!"

"Exactly!" she shouted back, "There's a lot of people I love facing it head-on! How can I leave them behind?"

She picked up her foot, stomping down on his toes. Romeo's grip on her loosened and she took the opportunity to bolt. Unfortunately for her, Romeo was running on adrenaline and her attempt at subduing him had failed miserably. He grabbed her from behind, yanking her back against his chest as he trapped her with his arms, covering her mouth with his hand. She was screaming so loudly, he was pretty sure someone was going to think he was trying to kidnap her.

" _STOP IT, AKI_!" he bellowed, "You're not going back!"

She stopped struggling, instead heaving gigantic sobs. Slowly, Romeo loosened his grip on her, feeling horrible that he'd had to be so forceful with her.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, "But I was given orders. Whatever is going on over there…you'd only be putting yourself in danger."

Aki felt him relax his grip just a little bit more. She waited until the hand on her mouth started to move, then bit down onto it with all her might, breaking into a run when he let her go with a cry of alarm.

Romeo examined his hand quickly before darting after her. She'd bitten so hard, she had actually drawn blood. But he had no time to worry about that now. Anger surged through him as he raced to catch up to her.

She got to the forest edge, but no further. Romeo tackled her, sending her to the ground. He dropped one knee on her back, unclipping his handcuffs from his side.

"I didn't want to do it this way, Aki!" he yelled, "Why do you have to be so stubborn? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Being subdued on the ground had not quelled her ferocious spirit. Aki had every intention of fighting him every step of the way. She struggled, trying to move her left hand out of his reach as he slapped the cuffs on her right hand.

"Daisuke!" she screamed, "Sora! Cana! My dad! Everyone I love is there! You have no idea how I feel right now! I don't want anything to happen to them!"

"I have no idea how you feel?" he yelled angrily, "Dammit, Aki – _every one_ of those people that are there right now are my friends too! They're my family! How the hell do you _think_ I feel right now? _I was sent away too – because they still consider me the rookie_!"

Aki let out a feral cry, bawling her eyes out.

Romeo grabbed her left hand, securing it to the right with the cuffs, "And you think somehow if you're there, things will work out better for them? Wake up, little girl! Those are demons they're dealing with! How do you think they'd feel if something happened to you?"

Aki's sobs heaved her whole body, "I can't lose them, Romeo…"

He brought her to a sitting position, being careful to be gentle. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to lower his voice, "But you can't fight for them either, Aki…I'm a rookie and I took you down with no problem. Imagine what they could do to you. Let the police do their job and hope that everything else will work out."

She sniffed, her tears making her vision blurry blurring her vision. An explosion rocked the forest, renewing the intensity of her tears sobs.

"Let's go," he said, pulling her to her feet.

He sighed heavily as she began to struggle again, screaming a ton of curse words no kid her age should be saying.

She was definitely Natsu's daughter.

"You can take off the cuffs now," she spat as he placed her in the front seat of his squad car.

"When you're safe, I will," Romeo snapped back.

"I could charge you with unnecessary force," she hissed, her hatred for him at the moment giving a black gleam to her eyes.

"You bit my finger, you little shit!" Romeo challenged as he slammed the door to her side of the car, "I can't believe Natsu brags that you're the _good_ kid! What are you _good_ at? Biting?"

"Yup!" she snapped, "Top of the class! And you're lucky to be dealing with me! You'd be crying like a little baby if it was the twins you were dealing with!"

He rounded the squad car, slamming an angry fist into the side of it before finally taking the driver's seat.

He knew there was no point to it – Aki wasn't listening to him – but he made another effort to reason with her.

"They kidnapped your friends, Aki…we have no idea what's happening right now, but I guarantee there's violence. You're pretty damned stupid if you think you'd be anything but in the way!"

"That's right there's violence!" she shot back, "Which is why I need to be there! I can't leave them there! Please Romeo! Don't tell me it's not killing you to walk away!"

"Aki! You will just be in the way!" Romeo yelled, "Do you want to be responsible for the deaths of people putting their lives on the line because they need to protect you? Grow up!"

Aki sighed, knowing the majority of what he said was probably the truth. Romeo was about 10 years her senior, but the longer he was her father's partner, the more she saw him as another brother. She imagined Lark would react differently, pulling her into the fray of things with some cockamamie plan to rescue everyone…

"I need to know Daisuke's okay," Aki admitted in a frustrated sob, "I have a bad feeling."

Romeo raised an eyebrow, "Only Daisuke?"

"Of course not only Daisuke!" Aki snapped before her facial features softened, "But I have a bad feeling something happened to him. He's hurt and he needs help."

"But your being there is not going to help him," Romeo told her, "Let the cops do their job!"

Aki let out another scream, piercing his ears as he started driving.

Romeo was trying not to lose his temper. He tried reasoning with her again, but this time came from a different angle. It was not an option to go back…he had to stress that. Next tactic…negotiation.

"Look, I know you've seen things today that are undoubtedly confusing. So if you don't want to go home and face your mother yet, I'll take you to the station."

"You will?" she stopped screaming, turning to him with skeptical eyes.

"But I'll be walking you in and putting you directly into Yukino's charge before I leave," he warned, "No more taking off!"

She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She wasn't looking forward to facing Lucy's wrath at all. They fell back into an uncomfortable silence until he looked down, noting the mark on her arm.

"Did someone hurt you?" he asked in alarm.

Aki's face turned from anger and frustration to surprise. She'd forgotten about the mark.

She shook her head, turning her arm so he couldn't see it, "No – I swear it's fine!"

Romeo veered off the road, throwing the car into park before grabbing her arm. She tried to bury her arm into the fabric of the seat so he couldn't see the tattoo.

"Aki!" Romeo shouted, "I've seriously had enough of your shit! Let me see your arm!"

She cried out as he jerked her arm loose, examining the mark intently. She returned her gaze to the outside window.

"I'm going to take the cuffs off," he told her, "But you have to promise you won't kick, bite or hit anymore. And no more screaming. _Temper tantrum is over_!"

Her wrists were sore, but she supposed a large part of that was her fault. She was the one who was struggling, causing the cuffs to scrape her skin.

She sighed, admitting defeat as she nodded, "Okay. I'll stop."

Romeo kept eye contact as he removed the cuffs from her hands, watching her for signs of rebellion.

"Where did you get this?" he demanded as he got his first real glance at the tattoo.

"It's nothing," she grunted.

"It's the same tattoo half the officers have at the precinct," he noted, "And your mother's work too."

She nodded, still refusing to look at him.

"It's not a bruise?" he reiterated.

She shook her head, finally looking at him, "A friend gave it to me. If anyone gave me bruises, it's you!"

He ignored her haughty dig at him, focusing on the tattoo.

"I don't know how I missed it before," Romeo muttered, more to himself than Aki, "That symbol…it was drawn in the manuscript."

"The manuscript…" she repeated, her eyes questioning.

He sighed, choosing his next words carefully.

"I know there's a lot more going on here than most people know…and I suspect you do too. I read…a manuscript, written 16 or 17 years ago by your mother."

"My mother…" Aki repeated, her eyes widening, "I don't understand."

"It was called _Angel of Oops,_ " Romeo told her, "And long story short, whatever is happening now is directly related to those events. I don't think it's fictitious. I think it's what really happened. There's a lot of content in it…that sort explains why things are the way they are today."

Aki's eyes widened. She remembered seeing a bound copy of Angel of Oops in the attic when she was younger. She'd always known about Lucy's writing talent and when asked, Lucy had simply replied it was a book she wrote years ago. Aki had forgotten about it until now.

"We're surrounded by Angels," Romeo stated, "And they're protecting all of us…the police station…Fairy Tail…but mostly your family. Whatever is happening now, these Angels are in the middle of it."

He watched her face, a slew of emotions passing through her. She'd been out in the forest for awhile before Romeo had been commanded to take her back to town. What happened to her during that time?

"Is that where you got the mark, Aki?" he asked gently.

Aki looked down at her hands. She'd sworn to Makarov she wouldn't reveal anything she'd learned that day. But she knew Romeo had other information she didn't have…and she wondered how much he'd divulge if she didn't divulge what she knew.

It crossed her mind that he could be possessed. She searched his face, trying to find clues that might indicate any change in personality…or maybe a facial feature that was off.

"Answer me, dammit!" he demanded.

She nodded hesitantly.

Romeo's face broke out into a broad grin, "You have no idea how comforting that is."

Aki finally calmed enough to sit back against the seat, sighing with relief. Romeo was not possessed. He was just being Romeo. He understood a lot more about what she was feeling than she gave him credit for…and she had seriously tested his limits in the past few minutes, so if he was agitated… Either way, he was no demon and he was not possessed.

"I'll take you to the station, as promised," he told her firmly. His voice was gentle again, "And you'll stay there under Yukino's care. We can talk later if we find some time. I've been thrown onto Fairy Tail babysitting duty again."

Aki didn't ask what that meant. She was thinking about the book again, thankful for the distraction from where her mind really was.

Maybe when she got home, she'd go find the copy of Angel of Oops upstairs.

Rogue embraced his boy for a long time after the disappearance of the demons, Mavis, Wendy and Lark.

Tears streamed down his face as he checked him over and over again for injuries. There were the obvious open wounds at his forehead and side. Otherwise, he had multiple bruises and scrapes. His skin was clammy and pale. As much as Daisuke was trying to hide it from Rogue, he was also feverish and sweaty. That worried Rogue immensely.

"We need an ambulance!" he called out to Sting, "Daisuke's in bad shape!"

Sting was already on the phone, arranging for emergency personnel to get out to the site. It would not be easy access since there was no road. A helicopter would be required…possibly several.

"I'm fine!" Daisuke backed out of his dad's arms, only to be crushed again by a sobbing Sora. The impact of her body sent jolts of pain through his side.

"You're not fine," Rogue stated, noting the cringe on Daisuke's face, "But I have never been so relieved that you're only hurt."

Daisuke composed himself, stroking Sora's hair and enveloping his arms around her back. He smiled at his father, then returned his attention back to the girl in his arms.

"I'm okay," he promised, "Cana's okay too. It's over, Sora."

"Except it's not," she whispered into his shoulder, "I don't understand any of this…where did Lark go? And what…what about my parents…"

Daisuke followed her gaze to her parents, both busily seeing to officers on the ground. His heart panged when he saw the utter state of confusion that Sora had entered into. There were more questions than answers. He had been trying not to think about the myriad of questions swirling in his mind, but it was next to impossible to avoid now that the initial relief had passed.

They'd just witnessed a battle between mythical creatures…Angels appeared out of nowhere…their best friend in the world waltzed in from nowhere, confronting the demons head-on…and then disappeared into oblivion with them.

It made no sense. Only a few days ago, he'd been hard-pressed to believe Lark's confession. Now, he faced the harsh reality that nothing would ever be the same because everything Lark said was true.

Aki crossed his mind again, ripping a new pain through his body. He called out to her with every fibre of his being…she couldn't be dead…she just couldn't.

He scanned the battlefield, noticing Natsu on the ground. Levy and a redhead were bent by his side, their hands pressed onto his shoulders and torso. Other strangers stooped over officers who had become victims of the demonic attacks. Some of them screamed in pain.

Sting was speaking to the officers that were less injured, instructing them to walk out to the road. Ambulances would meet them there.

"Dad…" Daisuke whispered, "What the hell just happened?"

Rogue placed a hand on Sora's shoulder, trying to smile at her reassuringly. On the other side of them, Toby and Yuka took in the scene with wide eyes and open mouths. Cana and Bacchus each had a hand on their shoulders, trying to support them while battling their own confusion.

"We came for you, Daisuke," Rogue replied, knowing it wasn't the answer Daisuke was looking for, "You're safe now."

The look Daisuke shot him confirmed his answer was crap. He hoped Jellal and Erik had a better way to address the confused group at his side…because he had no good answers for them.

Natsu could feel that he was being cradled on a lap before his eyes blinked open. Levy's face hovered above him and he found himself briefly wondering why it was her face he was seeing and not Lucy's. As his eyes came into focus, he realized there were other images around him as well. Gajeel…a dark-haired man…a woman with extremely red hair…another with blue hair. Who were they?

Natsu bolted upright, scrambling out of Levy's arms as his memory flooded back to him. Well, parts of it. There was a gigantic gap between when they were at the house, sledging walls apart, to when he realized his son's life was being threatened. Then, Lark had disappeared…and the attackers had all disappeared…how was it even possible?

Strawberry Floofy, Happy, and the black cat jumped out of his way as Natsu scrambled backward to a tree, fear and confusion on his face.

"Oh good! He's okay!" Happy exclaimed gleefully, oblivious to his old companion's panic.

He was not okay…none of this was okay!

Levy stooped beside him, extending a gentle hand, "It's fine, Natsu…breathe…"

He reared back another foot, his eyes wide with confusion, only to bump into the redhead's legs.

"It's…NOT FINE!" he exclaimed between elongated breaths, glancing wildly at the strange faces surrounding him. He was finding it hard to breathe.

Levy sat down beside Natsu, pouring tranquility into him. She helped him sit up, supporting him with both arms. He barely glanced at her, still absorbed in his own shock and disbelief.

"You're okay," Levy promised, clasping his hands in hers, "The worst is over now."

"Where is my son?" Natsu cried out, finally looking at her.

Levy took a deep breath, wondering how many lines she was going to cross in order to calm him. The other humans closed in, listening intently for the answer to the question they were all asking.

"He's okay…" Levy promised, "He'll be brought back when it's safe again."

"What do you mean he'll be 'brought back'?" Natsu demanded, "Where did they take him? Who took him? What the hell is going on?"

Levy tried another wave of comfort, Erza and Gray doing the same.

"I don't understand anything," Natsu declared, his eyes wide, "One minute we were at the house. The next, we're here and I watched some guy try to kill my son…with a ball of light…and all of you appeared out of nowhere. And Lark disappeared. How can you do what you did? It's not humanly possible! I can't comprehend… _WHY IS MY DEAD CAT HERE? AND WHY CAN STRAWBERRY FLOOFY TALK?_ "

Levy squeezed his hands, "I know, Natsu…it's a lot to take in. It will all be explained. I promised. For now, just know that you're safe. Lark is safe. Aki is safe."

Natsu nodded, feeling calmness pass through his body. It wasn't completely effective, but it quelled him enough to get him off the subject of Lark.

"I don't understand…what you did," Natsu murmured, gesturing at Gajeel and the other Angels, "How could I have known you for years and not known you were capable of that?"

Gray approached, kneeling in front of Natsu, "We'll answer all your questions, Natsu. Right now, we need to get the injured out of here."

Natsu met his eyes, recognizing the dark-haired man.

"You're my driving instructor?" he asked incredulously, "You came to my bachelor party?"

Gray nodded, unsure of how to respond, other than, "That was one _hell_ of a bachelor party."

Natsu's mouth dropped open.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked, remembering when he'd asked the dark-haired man many years ago who he was, the only response he'd received was 'a friend'.

Gajeel joined them, crouching on the other side of Natsu. Erza appeared at his back, rubbing it soothingly. Jellal, Erik and Lyon stood back, all of them sending peace to Natsu to prepare him for his next big realization.

Juvia appeared last, smiling gently.

"Juvia…" Natsu whispered, "It's not possible…Mavis… _I see dead people_!"

Cana teared up at the sight of Juvia from across the clearing. She led the group of humans toward them, stepping over the bodies that were still awaiting medical intervention. She stared at Juvia for several moments before tenderly reaching for her hand. Juvia pulled Cana into a full hug, both of them overjoyed to finally be reunited.

"We've always watched over you, Natsu," Levy said quietly. She was fully aware Sora still stared at her and Gajeel. They would need to confront their daughter soon, "You…and Lucy…and all of your children."

Natsu shook his head, not understanding.

"We're Angels, Flame-for-brains!" Gajeel blurted out.

Gray elbowed him in the ribs, "Way to break it gently, Iron-breath."

"You got a better way to tell him?" Gajeel demanded, shoving Gray backward.

Gray growled, lunging himself at Gajeel.

Sora stared at her father with wide eyes, not knowing if she should laugh at the scuffle or burst out crying at the admission she was trying desperately not to hear…her parents were Angels. She wanted to scream, cry, and freak out all at the same time.

"BOYS!" Erza snapped, halting their mini-scuffle as she pointed toward Sora.

Beside her, Natsu shook his head, trying to piece together what they were trying to tell the human group.

Gajeel's mouth fell open, now focused on his daughter as Gray threw in one last punch…for good measure. Levy's eyes filled with tears as she saw the undeniable expression on her daughter's face…full of pain.

And then there was Natsu...

"You and Gajeel…" Natsu murmured, "You're our best friends! How is it even possible?"

Levy squeezed his hand again, "It doesn't change anything…we're still your best friends."

Happy peered up at him, purring softly. Strawberry Floofy joined him, rubbing against Natsu gently. The black cat moved to Sora, seeing that she required some calming too.

"It changes everything," Sora stifled a sob. Daisuke hugged her close to him, eyeing the Angels that joined the group.

" _Where is my son_?" Natsu demanded again. He moved closer to the human group, as if he intended to protect them against the strangers.

"Mavis sent Lark away with Wendy," a maroon-haired man informed them.

"Mavis? As in God's daughter? Who _are_ you?" Cana asked incredulously. A part of her already knew…but she had to ask anyway.

'Wendy', Daisuke thought to himself, 'The blue-haired Angel who tried to save me?'

"My name is Jellal," the blue-haired male Angel bowed to him slightly. He gestured to the maroon-haired man beside him, "This is Erik. The rest of our team is Erza, Makarov, Gray, Juvia, Lyon, Gajeel, and Levy."

"You're Lark's Angels, aren't you?" Cana stated, half in awe, half in calm acceptance.

Jellal nodded, "Well, all of yours, really. We watch over the police station, Fairy Tail, and your families."

Sora looked like she'd been punched in the stomach as her eyes flew wide, staring at her parents in horror. Levy locked eyes with her, offering a slight smile.

"No…" Sora whispered, "It's not possible."

"You didn't answer my question!" Natsu interrupted, " _Where is my son_? Who in the hell are Mavis and Wendy? When is Lark coming back?"

"If you'll shut up for a minute, we're trying to tell you!" Gray snapped.

Natsu growled, his confusion turning to anger, "Who the hell asked you, driving instructor?"

"It's _Gray_!" Gray yelled, "My name is _Gray_!"

Juvia placed a hand on his arm, stopping him from provoking Natsu any further.

"We'll answer your questions in due time," Jellal interrupted, "We know this is daunting…but please trust us. The emergency personnel will be here soon. We haven't enough time to give you any substantial answers at the moment. Perhaps we can meet at the Dragneel place after everyone has been to the hospital."

Natsu stared at him, shaking his head in disbelief, "And that's what I'm supposed to tell Lucy? Wait for the Angels to tell us everything? Oh – by the way – Angels exist! Lark will be home when it's safe again? Our best friends have been Angels all this time – they said so!?"

Sora sucked back a sob. Daisuke squeezed her hand for support.

"I have a question…" Daisuke stated, his face contorting in pain, "Aki. Is she one of you now?"

Natsu's eyes widened. He froze, paralyzed with fear, "What do you mean by that?"

"The demons told us she died," Cana told them, her voice cracking. Juvia placed a supportive hand on her back.

Natsu sounded like he was going to hyperventilate.

"She's not dead," Jellal informed them before Natsu could freak out, "Romeo took her into town a while ago."

Daisuke and Cana let out audible sighs of relief, hugging each other. A myriad of emotion passed through Daisuke. The demons had lied to them. Aki wasn't dead. She wasn't dead. He wavered on his feet a bit, prompting a look of concern from Rogue. Sora straightened up, taking his weight on her shoulders when he had trouble regaining his balance.

"We have to help the officers that are injured," Jellal interjected, "We need to get everyone to the hospital. We'll meet at the Dragneel house after everyone's been to the hospital…maybe tomorrow…and we'll tell you everything."

The humans weren't sure how to take that, but there was no time for argument. Sting was organizing the most injured officers.

"Daisuke!" Sting called out, "You're on the first helicopter."

Natsu was still having trouble breathing. He didn't know what to believe anymore. Anyone who was able-bodied began to walk toward the forest path, preparing to walk out to the edge of the city where ambulance crews would be waiting. He started to follow them.

"You're not walking out," Sting told him, "You're going on the helicopter too."

Natsu thought about arguing, but he felt exhausted and he couldn't think straight. He nodded, watching the helicopter descend for a landing.

Rogue took Daisuke from Sora, supporting him as they walked toward the landing site beside Natsu.

"I want to go with them!" Rogue told the paramedic.

"We have other injured people!" the paramedic yelled over the noise of the helicopter, "We won't have room. We have to make multiple trips as it is."

Sting stepped forward, counting the injured officers on the ground. There were two dozen or more.

"We'll meet them at the hospital," Sting promised Rogue, a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Dad," Daisuke promised, "Just…call Mom. I'll see you there."

Rogue nodded, tears gathering in his eyes.

Bacchus and Cana had their arms around each other. Toby and Yuka stood beside them, watching as Sora leaned over, kissing Daisuke on the cheek. Daisuke glanced up at her, offering a reassuring smile. It hit him again just how much he was missing Aki.

Bacchus kissed the top of Cana's head, "C'mon, Baby…we need to go to the hospital too."

"I'm fine!" she insisted.

Bacchus paused, deciding to wait to tell her about Gildarts, "I just want to be safe."

She nodded, kissing his lips again.

They began heading for the trail as well, Cana turning after a few feet and gesturing to Toby and Yuka.

"C'mon, boys," she said, a twinkle in her eyes, "It's time to go."

Toby and Yuka glanced at each other, then hurried after her.

"Get out of here," Sting told his best friend, "I'll meet you at the hospital when everyone is safely out of here."

Jellal stood alongside Sting, "Levy, Gajeel and I will stay with Sting."

Rogue nodded his thanks, turning toward the trail. Sora walked beside him, not looking back.

"Sora…" Gajeel stated, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She shook her head violently, refusing to turn around.

"Stay away from me," she choked out.

She tried to keep walking, crying out as Rogue stood in her way, gently urging her to turn around.

"I don't want to talk to you!" she yelled, "I can't deal with it…not right now!"

Gajeel took another step toward her.

"Stay away from me!" she screamed, "You're not my father! You've done nothing but lie to me my whole life! _Get the hell away from me_!"

She broke into sobs, Gajeel hanging his head as Sora grabbed onto Rogue's arm. She tried to push him toward the path, but Rogue stood his ground. He would console her as needed, but he wouldn't allow her to walk away.

Levy approached somberly, watching Gajeel as his heart broke into pieces. He loved their little girl as much as he loved Levy. His long, wild hair hid his face, but it didn't hide his clenched jaw and fists or the shake that took over his whole body.

She reached out a gentle arm, turning Sora's face toward Gajeel.

"The fact that we're Angels doesn't change anything," she stressed with stern eyes as she forced her daughter to look at him, "Yes…we're Angels…but we're still your parents. We love you. You will always be our girl."

Sora tried to turn her head away. She wished for Daisuke, knowing he would protect her from this conversation if he could. Rogue put a supportive arm around her, but turned her gently toward her mother.

"Sora," Levy reiterated firmly, redirecting Sora's face so that she had to face her, "It doesn't change anything…we are still your parents…and what you just said was very hurtful to your father."

Sora's eyes met hers, seeing the love they held amidst the stern parenting she was trying to instill. Sora glanced to her father, his pained face fighting tears. Gajeel never cried…over anything.

Her head was reeling between the realization they were dealing with demons, finding Daisuke and Cana, Lark's disappearance, and then the biggest bombshell secret that had been delivered. It was too much to deal with…

But the expression on Gajeel's face sent her crashing back down to Earthland. She had really hurt him.

She threw herself into Gajeel's arms, her sobs starting all over again. Levy stood back, a proud smile on her face until Sora waved her over. She joined the hug from the other side, unable to contain the single tear rolling down her cheek.

Sting and Rogue smiled at each other.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Sora sniffed as the three broke apart, knowing they still had an emergency to deal with.

"We'll talk later, baby," Gajeel promised, "Just know...nothing can change that you're my little girl. Nothing."

"I'll take her with me to the hospital," Rogue offered, "I got a text from Yukino. She'll meet us there with Aki."

"What's Aki doing with Yuki?" Sting exclaimed, "I thought Romeo was taking her home!"

Rogue shook his head, "Yukino said Aki hasn't exactly been agreeable. The last thing Lucy needs is to deal with an unruly teenager. Either way, she's meeting us at the hospital. She's got a list of spouses to contact once the officers are assessed."

Levy nodded. There were still too many officers in the field to abandon Sting and Jellal. She and Gajeel would remain behind. Gray and Juvia had gone with the first helicopter load and would stay by Daisuke's side. Erza had gone with Cana and Bacchus. Lyon would watch Toby and Yuka. Makarov held the hand of an officer who was in immense pain…since that was all he could do. Wendy was the only one with enough healing ability to make a real difference.

"Take care of my baby," Gajeel said to Rogue when they finally separated.

"I'll protect her with my life," Rogue promised, putting an arm around Sora's shoulders.

Levy sniffed back tears as she and Gajeel watched Rogue and Sora start down the trail, Sora giving a little wave to her parents as they disappeared.

"We need to get ahold of Wendy," Erik said to Jellal as they stalked back to the officers waiting for the next helicopter.

"She lost her cell during our first confrontation," Jellal replied, "Until they find a way to contact us, we may have to sit tight and hope the demons aren't already following them."

Erik nodded, furrowing his brow.

"But he's safe, right?" Sting interjected.

"Yeah," Jellal said slowly, "At least for now."

Lucy was sitting in the Lazy-Boy, tears streaming down her face as she tried to comprehend the hell that her family had been through in the past few days. It was bad enough that Aki and Sora had disappeared…but Lark…after he'd promised her… She was positively sick with worry.

Brielle crawled up into Lucy's lap, stroking her forearm.

In the other Lazy-Boy, Laki was curled up with both Megumi and Connor. The other kids sat in the same place on the floor that they'd been in for what seemed like weeks, staring helplessly at each other. Sting and Yukino's children, Ren and Saichi, rarely said anything anyway, but the other kids were unusually quiet. Hansuke and Mieske were in the kitchen, making sandwiches for the mothers after Aimi noted neither of them had eaten in a long time. Aimi was doing some of the dishes that had been leftover from lunch.

The knock at the door made them all jump, both Laki and Lucy putting their perspective kids down as they stood to see who would come in.

Evergreen entered moments later, her face a contortion of emotion.

All the kids stared as Evergreen's face turned into a smile.

"They've been found…" she stated, "Daisuke is on his way to the hospital. Rogue is following him…There's a car waiting outside for you, ladies…"

Laki burst into sobs as she collapsed to her knees. Lucy wrapped her arms around her, a giant weight suddenly lifted from both their shoulders.

Laki's tears doubled as she stared up at Evergreen with wide eyes, "Is he okay?"

Evergreen nodded.

Aimi wrapped her arms around Megumi, who was bawling loudly.

"Aki and Sora! And Lark!" Lucy yelped desperately, "They're okay too? And what about Cana?"

A shadow crossed Evergreen's face as she squeezed Lucy's hands, "Aki is at the station. Yukino is going to take her to the hospital to meet up with everyone. Sora and Cana are heading to the hospital too, just in case. Lark is probably with them."

The mothers hugged each other, their tears changing to those of absolute relief. Ren and Saichi perked up at the mention of their mother, relieved to hear it sounded like she was okay. They hadn't seen either of their parents in a couple days.

"I'll stay with the kids," Aimi volunteered, "Go ahead…both of you."

Laki and Lucy didn't need to be asked twice, both heading for the door without a second glance backward.

Evergreen glanced at the kids, offering a kind, supportive smile, "The police will stay outside until we're back."

Aimi nodded, tears of relief flooding down her face. The other children celebrated with high 5's. Haru patted Aimi's back supportively.

Finally…something good had happened and Lark, Aki, Sora, Cana and Daisuke would be coming home.

"Wendy!" Lark shouted. She was pulling him by the hand, yanking him deeper into the forest, "Where are we going?!"

"Mavis told me to get you out of there!" she exclaimed, "We have to run. The demons will try for you again. I need to get you out of the area."

"Wait!" he insisted, digging his heels into the ground to pull her to a stop.

She turned, taking a deep breath.

"What in the hell happened?" he demanded, "Why am I not dead?"

Wendy released her breath, closing her eyes to gain her composure. She was extremely shaken by the events, knowing Mavis had sacrificed herself so that she could get Lark out of there. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. The turmoil inside was tearing her apart.

"Wendy," Lark said softly, lifting her chin with his hand, "Please. I need to understand what just happened."

Wendy's eyes filled with tears, despite her efforts to remain calm for him. She didn't know Mavis well, but she knew the sacrifice she'd made. And it was up to her to ensure Lark stayed safe so that her sacrifice would not be in vain.

"Mavis," she whispered finally, "She threw herself in front of the beam and told me to get you out of there."

Lark's face paled. He wasn't sure how to react. He really didn't know Mavis well. He'd only just been told she was his birth mother. He didn't have any real attachments to her…but still….

She tugged on his hand again, "We have to keep moving. The demons can still come after us."

"Wait!" Lark refused to move, spinning her around to face him, "Is Mavis…"

"I don't know," Wendy replied as evenly as she could, "All I know is that I have to get you out of here. We need to go into hiding."

He swallowed the lump in his throat, taking a deep breath.

"She told you that she's your mother…" Wendy guessed, placing her hand on his arm.

"You knew? I don't know how to react to this," he admitted, "It's not like we had some deep bond. She abandoned me."

Wendy hugged him, "She was still your mother. I'm feeling it too. I'm a low-tier Angel. She had nothing to do with me…but I'm still praying that she's okay."

Wendy hoped that was enough of a truth. She knew damned well that Mavis had been severely injured before she took that blow head-on. She wasn't sure anyone could have survived that.

"If Mavis is your mother," Wendy said thoughtfully, "Are you part Angel?"

He nodded uncertainly, "Apparently."

"We'll get out of here faster if you can transport. I got you out of the initial area by transporting, but I can't do long distances."

He shook his head, "I don't have abilities other than seeing Angels."

"Maybe you do," she argued, standing back, "You've never tried to have abilities before."

Lark regarded her as she closed her eyes, melting into the shadow of the tree behind her.

"Close your eyes," her voice called out, "Feel the concentration of Heaven's power flow through you."

She snapped her fingers, reappearing beside him.

He watched her disappear again, realizing she'd transported to the top of a tree when she dropped a pine cone on his head. She giggled mischievously, thankful for the temporary distraction from their current situation and reappeared three trees down the path.

Lark closed his eyes, but he had no idea what Heaven's power would feel like. He had serious doubts he could it anyway since he'd spent the majority of his life on Earthland. It didn't make sense that he could have abilities too.

"Feel it, Lark," Wendy said from beside him, "Call for it with every cell of your body. Concentrate on what you want to do."

"I don't even know what I want to do!" he exclaimed, still not feeling any kind of 'flowing'.

"You want to find me," she suggested, disappearing into the trees. She stood about 50 feet away, "Transport to me."

She stood in plain sight. Lark was reminded again of just how pretty she was, her blue hair reflecting in the dusk sunlight.

"Hurry!" she told him, "We need to find a place to spend the night! It'll get dark soon and we're not far enough away!"

Lark closed his eyes again, trying to feel Heaven's power. He switched to concentrating on transporting to her…and then he could feel it. It was a warm, consuming feeling. He felt abnormally happy…and protected…and loved. He snapped his fingers, opening his eyes a moment later because he knew he had transported.

Lark's face fell as he realized that he'd only moved 10 feet, then slowly morphed into a broad grin. He'd done it! Maybe it was only 10 feet, but who else did he know that could do that? He really WAS part Angel!

"It's a start!" Wendy offered encouragingly, "Keep trying!"

Lark closed his eyes again, this time feeling the pull of Heaven's power immediately.

Laki and Lucy arrived at the hospital, jumping from the car before it even had a chance to fully stop. They ran through the Emergency doors, finding the nearest personnel they could find.

"Daisuke Cheney!" Laki demanded, "Please!"

"Mom," they heard behind them. The voice was meek and a little strained.

Lucy whirled around, catching sight of Yukino standing with Aki near the counter of the desk.

"Aki!" Lucy exclaimed, running to her. She pulled her into her arms, hugging her so tightly, she was squeezing the breath out of her daughter. She noted Sora beside her, yanking her into the hug too, "You girls are in so much trouble! I am so mad at you!"

She didn't look mad, the way that she clung to both girls.

Aki tried to hold her tears back as she hugged her mother back, "I'm sorry, Mom…I'm so sorry."

Lucy exchanged hugs with Levy and Gajeel too as they came in the Emerg doors with the next helicopter-load.

"What are we going to do with these brats?" she asked light-heartedly, trying to break the obvious tension in the room.

Emergency nurses were scrambling, finding beds for the incoming officers. All the humans had been instructed to answer no questions about what happened. Sting had spoken to the head doctors himself over the phone, expressing the need for absolute confidentiality regarding the nature of injuries they were about to see. It was not the first time the doctors had been sworn to secrecy…and there were doubts it would be the last.

"Daisuke is being examined by doctors," the nurse at the desk told Laki, "I'll take you down."

Laki glanced back at Lucy, who waved a hand, still holding both girls closely to her, although she had relaxed her grip enough that Aki could breathe.

"Go," Lucy told her, "Tell him we're glad he's safe…and we all send our love."

Laki nodded, practically pushing the nurse in front of her to hurry.

Lucy kissed the tops of both girls' heads, "You have a lot of explaining to do."

"They helped us escape," a new voice said, "Don't be too hard on them."

Lucy released both girls, pulling Cana in for a hug too. Her breath smelled a like alcohol. Behind her, Bacchus waved innocently, but she rolled her eyes, knowing he'd given her some of his supply.

"Are you okay?" Lucy demanded, smothering her friend with her relieved hug.

Cana nodded, pulling back, "I'm fine. Although I hear my old man isn't so fine. I'm waiting for the nurse to come back and let me know if I can see him."

"Gildarts?" Lucy gasped. Gildarts was a tank and a precinct legend. It was hard to believe anything could take him down.

She glanced back at Bacchus again, realizing two boys stood with him. Her eyes narrowed as she realized it was Toby and Yuka.

"You bastards!" she seethed, pushing Cana away.

Cana jumped, putting herself between Lucy and the boys, "It's not their fault! Lucy!"

Yukino joined her in restraining Lucy. Lucy's fists were flailing as she almost broke through both of them. The boys watched her, fear in their eyes because they knew they'd deserve it if she did attack them. Still, they couldn't help but be touched by the ferocity with which Cana fought for them. Sora moved so that she stood in front of them too, gaining a confused look from Aki.

"They had no choice!" Cana yelled, pushing Lucy back, "Please, Lucy! Look at the bigger picture! They have no place to live and no parents! They were commissioned to bully our kids because they were offered those things! Please Lucy! _We wouldn't have escaped without them_!"

Lucy stopped struggling, her eyes shooting darts at the two cringing boys. Bacchus had a hand on each shoulder, Sora in front of them.

"We're sorry, Mrs. Dragneel," Toby murmured, bowing to her.

Lucy stopped struggling. Cana released her hold on her, Yukino backing off behind her.

"I don't know if I can forgive you," she seethed, "Do you have any idea what hell you've put our families through?"

Yuka bowed too, "We don't deserve your forgiveness, Mrs. Dragneel…but we are sorry."

Lucy took a deep breath. There were police officers everywhere, in every state of injury. Some were on stretchers. Some sat in chairs with bandages all over their bodies. Whatever had happened, it was very serious…and two teenage boys could not have inflicted that much damage on the officers by themselves.

"Where's Natsu and Lark?" she asked, glancing around the room. She turned away from the boys. She wasn't ready to forgive them yet and she didn't have to look at them.

Yukino gathered Sora and Aki to her, "Natsu's being assessed down the hall. Let's go see him."

"And Lark?" Lucy questioned.

"He must be here somewhere too," Yukino surmised.

An overwhelmed Lucy nodded, following Yukino and the girls down to the examination room that would contain her husband.

Laki paused at the door that the nurse led her to, suddenly nervous to open it. Her boy was on the other side of the door…alive, but injured.

The nurse squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, "It's okay. He's going to be fine."

Laki nodded, opening the door slowly.

She saw Rogue first, perched at the edge of the bed. He stood, watching her as she entered. Rogue was in poor shape. His uniform was dirty and the bags under his eyes hadn't dissipated much, even with the few hours of sleep he'd managed to get. He had a small cut on his cheek and his hair was disheveled.

Taking a deep breath, she turned her eyes to Daisuke. Her eyes filled with tears, as she regarded him in the bed. He was covered in bandages, most notably on his head. An IV pole stood off to one side of him, dripping unknown antibiotics and fluids into him.

"Laki!" Rogue exclaimed, jumping to catch her as she staggered. He caught her, wrapping his arms around her securely as she came undone. Daisuke watched Rogue comfort her, feeling the doses of comfort that came from elsewhere in the room. The doctor finished taking his pulse, then stood back as Rogue led the sobbing Laki to the bedside.

Daisuke watched her out of one eye, since the other was covered with a bandage. The head wound was entirely too close to his eye, so doctors bound it just in case. His ribs were firmly bound as well. Laki let go of Rogue, running her hand down Daisuke's good arm before throwing herself onto him.

"I'm okay, Mom," Daisuke promised as she fawned over him.

"Daisuke has a couple broken ribs," the doctor piped up, "There was some internal bruising, but it looks like it stopped bleeding on its own. It doesn't appear to be spreading anymore. The head wound was caused by blunt trauma. It was beginning to infect, so we've sterilized it. Your family doctor will need to keep a close eye on it since it's so close to his eye. We're going to keep him for at least overnight to give him antibiotics to fight the infection and watch for signs of concussion. He's being tube-fed right now to replenish his fluids. Before he goes home, he has to be on solid food."

Laki barely heard him, running her hands over him as if she wouldn't be convinced he was okay until she saw that for herself. The doctor excused himself, nodding to Daisuke before leaving the room.

In the corner of the room, Juvia and Gray sent out another wave of comfort. Juvia wiped her own tears away, thankful for the happy reunion. She and Gray wouldn't stay long, though. The Angels still had a lot of work to do, namely tracking down Wendy and Lark.

Lucy launched herself into Natsu's arms before he even had a chance to register that it was her. In fact, he wouldn't have been sure it was her if it weren't for the heated kiss she planted on his mouth.

Aki and Sora held back, blushing at the intensity of the kiss. Yukino patted them both on the shoulder, then retreated to the Emerg room to help out officers.

"You did it," Lucy whispered, "You got them all back!"

Natsu didn't smile or reply, a shadow crossing his face that both Sora and Aki caught. Levy had just left him, but assured him they'd talk more. They all knew Lucy would have caught on to Lark's disappearance from home by now. None of them knew how they were going to explain his current disappearance to Lucy.

"Are you hurt?" she demanded, checking his body over for herself. There were multiple cuts and abrasions, but he didn't appear to have any major injuries.

"No," he promised, stilling her hands in favour of another kiss, "I'm fine. I'll be released right away. There's other officers that need the bed way more than I do."

Lucy frowned, remembering all the officers still in Emerg, "What in the hell happened?"

Natsu froze, partially because he knew something extraordinary had happened, partly because he honestly couldn't remember a thing. He had no clue how to explain his memory lapses to Lucy.

"You can tell me later," Lucy told him, kissing him again, "Let's tell everyone they're welcome back at the house. Maybe we can make sense of what happened together. Where's Lark? Let's find him and get the hell outta here."

Sora and Natsu froze.

"He'll meet us at the house soon," Natsu said slowly, remembering Levy's promise that he was safe and would return when the danger had passed. The danger had passed, right? So, he wasn't lying to his wife?

"What do you mean?" Lucy questioned, her smile dissipating, "Where is he?"

Natsu and Sora exchanged glances.

"I'll see if I can find him," Sora interjected, "He's here somewhere."

Lucy cocked her head, suspicious of the behaviour.

She felt the strange tingling through her body, losing her train of thought.

"The other kids need to see that you're okay," Lucy told Natsu, her previous thought dismissed, "We'll go home and come back to see Daisuke tomorrow…and once we celebrate that everyone is okay, then we'll deal with our disappearing teenagers."

Both Sora and Aki cringed.

"Please…Mom and Dad…" Aki interjected, "I know I don't deserve anything…but can I please see Daisuke before we leave?"

"No way!" Lucy interjected, "You can see him tomorrow. I'm not letting you out of my sight!"

The doctor entered with a curt knock, "Mr. Dragneel, your blood work is fine. You're free to go."

Natsu nodded, swinging his legs over the bed.

Lucy's face fell, "Do you have to go back to the station?"

"Eventually," Natsu conceded, "But not now. I'm sure Sting will understand that I need to go home with my family. Plus, I really need a good nights' sleep. I can go do my paperwork tomorrow."

Lucy sighed her thanks, helping him to his feet. Natsu wrapped an arm around her shoulders, the other arm around Aki as they left the room together, Sora following alongside them.

Yukino sucked in a breath as she hung up the phone. There were so many downed officers…and not enough medical personnel to handle the situation. Some of the officers were suffering from acid burns on their legs and arms and a few had been singed by fire. It baffled her – the severity of their injuries – and yet, nobody could offer her a plausible explanation of what had happened earlier. All she knew was that it would be her job to ensure each person's family was notified and make the victims as comfortable as possible while they waited for care. She had done everything she could to support the situation in the past few days…but she was starting to feel her exhaustion.

Her legs were shaking, threatening to collapse under her. She had just had to phone an officer's wife to advise her that she needed to get to the hospital fast…her husband was suffering from acid burns and would likely lose his legs. The man's wife had screamed at her, demanding answers she didn't have to give.

She fought for control of her tears, still surrounded by nurses and doctors running frantically from room to room. So much devastation…

The longer Yukino stood in the Emerg, the more she realized she hadn't seen the one face that she longed to see the most. The surrounding spouses were yelling at her, desperate for information. Their voices blurred together and soon, she couldn't discern one voice from another.

She heaved again, willing herself to get it together. Her eyes were blurry. She was not weak. She couldn't afford a break down. Not now.

Suddenly the weight of the last few days caught up to her. She hadn't seen Sting in days…and he had obviously been caught up in whatever had transpired over the past few hours, or he'd be here…assisting her in caring for the precinct family.

The upset spouses had moved on to a doctor who seemingly had more answers than Yukino did, leaving her to think about her husband.

Why wasn't Sting here? What if something had happened to him?

She fought the urge to burst into tears, heaving deep sobs that went unnoticed by the rest of the bustling room. It was a constant worry of hers. As chief, Sting often put himself in harm's way to protect his fellow officers. She had been with him when he'd had to deliver news to a new widow after a botched arrest. It was her worst fear…that one day, it would be her standing at the door, finding her out her husband would not be coming home.

"Yuki?" his voice called from beside her.

She'd been so caught up in thoughts, she'd completely missed his approach.

"You're okay?" she asked awkwardly as they took steps toward each other. Her unshed tears hung in her eyes.

He watched her, seeing the anguish on her face. She was fighting to keep control of it. Sting was dealing with his own torment. He'd had to tourniquet an arm today. The Angels' healer, Wendy, was absent. There was little the Angels could do to help his officers and the officers only knew limited first aid. He knew he was going to lose some close friends today.

"Yeah. I'm okay," he lied.

He wasn't. She could see that he wasn't.

"Can you tell me what happened?" she asked softly. They took another step toward each other.

"Not yet," he whispered. She could hear the strain in his voice. He was bothered…and that bothered her, "And I can't leave the hospital until I know every one of my officers are okay."

She'd seen this behaviour from him before when things were uncertain or after a really bad accident. Sometimes he was allowed to divulge things to her. Other times, he had to be kept silent because he was the police chief.

"You're not injured?" she squeaked out, her voice breaking up.

"No, sweetheart," he answered, moving close enough to kiss the top of her head, "I'm okay. Are you?"

Yukino sniffed back tears.

"I'm really glad to see you," she admitted finally, dissolving into fitful tears, "I have never been…so glad to see you."

He pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair as he kissed her face all over. She returned his kisses fervently. He was a little taken aback by her forcefulness. Yukino was the epitome of calm most of the time. She was the perfect chief's wife – always thinking with a clear head and supporting him wherever he needed her – even sometimes when he didn't know what he needed yet.

But this Yukino was different. She was terrified and in desperate need for his touch.

"Yuki…" Sting whispered, suddenly sharing her mutual gratitude that she was right in front of him.

They stroked each other with wandering hands, kissing each other's faces fervently.

"Can we go find a storage closet?" she stroked his hair, "Just for a minute. I need you. Really badly."

Sting smoothed her hair back from her face lovingly, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Evergreen!" he called, "Take over for a few minutes."

"Where are you going?" Evergreen demanded, surrounded by spouses demanding to know what happened to their loved ones.

Sting waved a hand as he left the room, pulling Yukino by the hand behind him, "To take care of my wife."

Wendy laughed out loud as she flitted from tree to tree, sometimes transporting, sometimes using the shadows. Lark followed her, trying out his new abilities. He'd picked them up fast – faster than Wendy had ever seen anyone learn them. Now it was a game as they made their way through the forest, heading for Onibus.

It was getting very dark out, but the two barely noticed. Angels had very good eyesight. Now that Lark had tapped into his abilities, he could see rather well too.

He furrowed his brow, watching her pattern. She went left, then higher above in a tree, then back to the ground on the right. When she did it twice, he veered to the right, sticking to the shadows until she appeared so close, he was able to reach out and grab her around the waist, pulling her back to his torso.

She screamed, laughing hard as she struggled against him, then transported out of his grasp, appearing 3 feet away.

"You've got it, I'd say," she told him.

"You're a good teacher," he remarked.

She smiled, pointing through the trees, "Onibus is straight ahead. We can find a safe place to stay for the night."

Lark's face fell, "I can't hide. My Aura will draw them."

"I'll teach you to hide your Aura," she promised, reaching for his hand, "We're going to be okay."

"How long will we have to run, though?" he asked as they ran toward Onibus.

It had been fun to lose themselves in their game. For awhile, both had forgotten the severity of their situation. Sooner or later, however, they would both have to face it.

"You should leave me here," he said quietly, "You're not safe with me."

"Mavis seemed to think I would be," she said softly, squeezing his fingers, "And besides…weren't you the one who insisted that we're friends? Friends don't abandon one another. I'll teach you to hide your Aura. Things will settle in Magnolia…and then we can go home."

Lark paused, watching her fingers intertwine with his.

"Okay," he said, "But we have no money. Where are we going to stay?"

Wendy reached into her pocket, producing a wad of bills, "Heaven takes care of their own. All Angels carry Earthland money…just in case."

They walked into town, noting the night life had already begun for the evening, even though it was barely dark.

"There's a hotel," Wendy suggested, pointing at a nice building, "We can stay there tonight and decide what to do tomorrow."

Lark nodded, following her.

The desk clerk looked at them, his scrutinizing brows furrowing, "May I help you?"

"We need a room, please," Wendy stated.

"Aren't you a little young?" the desk clerk asked.

Wendy blushed as Lark stepped forward, "Our car broke down. We have money…just give us a room please."

The man shook his head, muttering something about 'younger and younger' before plopping a key card on the desk. Wendy produced ID, making sure to alter the card so that she was 18 and called by the name 'Mako Cardia'. She paid the man before taking the key off the desk.

"203," Lark read.

She smiled, heading for the elevator.

It was a basic room. There was a queen-sized bed with four pillows, a 40" TV, and a closet. A separate bathroom lay off to the left.

"Adequate," Wendy stated, giving her head a firm nod.

Lark glanced around, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Now. Concealment," Wendy sat on the opposite end of the bed.

"Will it really work?" Lark asked.

She nodded, "You couldn't see us, could you?"

Lark smiled.

"It's a spell of sorts," Wendy explained, "So you just repeat the words."

"How do I know if it worked?" Lark queried, punching a pillow at the top of the bed. He laid down, stretching out his sore muscles. It had been a very long day.

"We can walk through the lobby and find out," Wendy suggested.

He shrugged, closing his eyes for a moment…just a moment, "Okay. Shoot when ready."

"Aura of Heaven – mask thyself from mine enemies," Wendy recited.

Lark opened an eye, his face showing his amusement, "You're kidding, right?"

"What?" she asked, completely confused.

He sat up, "That's the lamest spell I've ever heard! You'd think it would be something a lot more grand and awe-inspiring. Like, 'Oh Merciful Ruler of Heaven and Earthland, hear my plea! Get rid of my Aura so I can be safe from the demon dudes and whatnot.' "

"How is that better?" Wendy keeled over laughing.

He watched her, admiring her pretty eyes flickering with her amusement. A deep sense of grief passed through him as the memory of Mavis darting in front of him plagued his mind. He shouldn't be making fun of the spell that had protected Angels for years.

"Lark?" Wendy asked, sitting up when she saw his somber expression.

"I should just give myself up," he murmured, "Mavis is gone because of me. My family and friends have suffered. If I was gone, you'd all be safe again."

Wendy shook her head, "If you were gone, the gates of Hell would be opened, Lark. I heard what Hughes and the Bishop said too."

"I don't know how my life is connected to the gates of Hell," Lark muttered, "Nothing makes sense to me anymore."

"I know," she said softly, "But we have to trust that Mavis knew what she was doing. She sacrificed herself for a reason, Lark. Don't let it be in vain."

He nodded after a long moment, sitting cross-legged on the bed. He hated being so serious. He just wanted her to smile.

"Okay. I'm going to try the spell. Tell me again. Something like, 'Aura Aura bo-Aura aranna fanna fo faura, be gone, mo-maura. Aura.' Did I get it right?"

Wendy snickered, smacking him in the arm, "Not quite. I'll repeat it again, and then we'll work on other basic abilities."

Lark nodded, his face turning serious, "I'm ready, Sensei."

She chuckled again, because he looked anything but serious. The edges of his mouth were refraining from curling into a smile. Composing herself, she sat straight up. They had a lot of work to do if he was going to learn abilities.

She cringed from a jolt of pain as her eyes tried to flutter open. They were stuck. She realized it was ridiculously hot. Sweat poured down her face as she tried again. Slowly, she realized her hands were bound above her, her legs secured to a post. The smell…it was overwhelming, threatening to burst every blood vessel in her nose.

"Let me help you," a voice said.

Chills ran down her back, making every hair on her head stand up as she recognized the voice. It could only belong to one person.

She felt a cloth dab at her eyes, removing the dirt that had crusted there. She felt the jab of the lightning bolt careening across her body, causing her to convulse. She was afraid to open her eyes. She didn't want to face him yet. When she slept, there was no pain. Just let her sleep a little longer.

"I'll ease the pain of the lighting bolts soon," the voice promised her, gently dabbing at the rest of her face, "Open your eyes, Mavis."

"No!" she seethed, "I don't want to see you."

He chuckled, dabbing the sweat off her forehead, "Sweetheart, there's nowhere for you to go. Look at me…let me look at you. You have to open your eyes sometime."

She cringed as another bolt shot through her, screaming with the pain despite her best efforts to suppress it.

He stroked her hair with his fingers. She could feel the expulsion of nullification magic flow through her veins. Some of the pain subsided. She refused to sigh with relief…she would not give him the satisfaction.

"Come now," he beckoned again, "Open your eyes, Mavis."

She wanted to refuse, but she could feel his magic prying her eyes open. She tried to fight back, but realized she had absolutely no strength.

"You have no abilities," Zeref told her as he appeared in her line of sight, "Save your energy. Struggling will get you nowhere."

"You managed to get out of hell?" she demanded haughtily.

He shook his head, "No. I need the Son to do that. You're in Hell, thanks to your sacrificial lamb stunt. That took real balls to take the attack, Mavis. Worked out great for me. One less member of my family to collect later. You'll notice you've been stripped of your power the moment you descended to hell and were cut off from Heavenly influence thanks to the run-down condition of your body. Pity. It's been awhile since we've sparred."

"You're insane!" she yelled.

He shook his head, waving a finger at her, "I want the same thing I've wanted all along, Mavis…I want my family together where death can no longer separate us."

"You'll never get Larcade!" she shrieked, struggling against her bonds. It was true…she had no abilities.

Zeref cocked his head, glancing at Mavis with a crooked grin, "I only need him for a few minutes, Mavis. Then he'll be non-existent and he won't be a problem anymore."

Mavis's eyes widened, "You're going to end his existence? How is that going to accomplish anything? You won't have your family back together if Larcade dies!"

Zeref laughed, "Oh, Mavis! You don't get it at all, do you? After tonight, my new demons will be assembled, with the exception of two. But those demons will come to be courtesy of my new demons…and then we'll be unstoppable."

She cringed, despising the tone in his voice, but he offered no more information as he headed for the cave entrance.

"You know…" he stopped like it was an afterthought, not even turning to look at her, "If you hadn't intervened a few years back and saved the Angel of Oops, you'd have saved me a lot of trouble. He would have been condemned to me then and none of this would be necessary. No matter. I'll get him myself. His demon side has already started to wake up."

Mavis screamed, struggling against her restraints with all the contempt she felt. Sadly, she was achieving nothing. She had never felt weaker in her entire existence.

"I'll check in on you later!" he promised over his shoulder, "In the meantime, check out the new digs! I've redecorated!"

The feeling of absolute nothingness overtook her, the complete and total separation from Heaven chilling her to the bone. Mavis closed her eyes, offering a prayer to Heaven, whether they could hear her or not. She didn't know what his ominous statement meant – that after tonight, his demon collection would be complete with the exception of two – but it terrified her.

It really, truly terrified her.


	29. Chapter 29

Makarov arrived in the attic just as Mira washed out a cloth in the basin, tenderly reapplying the cool fabric Laxus's forehead. She ran a hand over his face, letting out a soft sigh. Her lips hovered over his forehead and she wavered, wondering if she could be so bold as to plant a kiss on his forehead.

"Is he feverish?" Makarov asked, making her jump.

"Master! I didn't hear you come in!" Mira exclaimed, her hand over her pounding heart.

Makarov grinned lecherously, knowing _transporting_ Angels rarely made noise. She'd been busted fawning over Laxus.

"No fever," Mira reported, going back to stroking Laxus's blonde mane, "He's been sleeping peacefully since you left. The lightning bolts are gone…Wendy did a good job healing him."

Makarov approached, peering down at his grandson. His eyes were closed, the slightest hint of a smile curved onto his lips. There was no sweat, no signs of any discomfort whatsoever. He was naked from the chest up, Mira periodically rubbing the palm of her hand over his shoulders in a light massage.

Makarov frowned.

…the slightest hint of a smile…

"Laxus – you PERVERT!" Makarov grunted, "Quit using Mira as a nursemaid and admit you're awake already!"

Mira's mouth dropped open in shock. She turned to give Makarov a piece of her mind when Laxus started to chuckle.

"Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Gramps! You can't tell me you wouldn't enjoy the attention too!"

Mira debated whether to slap Laxus or hug him. Regardless of the fact that he'd obviously been awake for awhile, she was happy to see his eyes open.

"I'm an old man," Makarov shot back, "If a young girl was running her hands all over me, I sure as hell wouldn't be pretending to sleep!"

Both men burst out laughing as Mira turned red, huffing off to the bathroom with the basin and cloth.

"Where are the other Angels?" Laxus asked once their laughter died down a bit.

A shadow crossed Makarov's face, "A lot has happened, Laxus."

Mira reappeared, sitting on the edge of Laxus's bed. She wanted to hear this too.

"We managed to save the humans," Makarov reported solemnly, "but in the process, Mavis was taken. She was injured and took an attack head-on to give Wendy the opportunity to transport Larcade out of the area."

"No..." Mira whispered.

Makarov nodded, "The other Angels are seeing the human families home. Tomorrow, we'll reconvene and try to pinpoint the best way to track Wendy down."

"But what about Mavis?" Mira interjected.

"We'll find her," Makarov vowed, "But Mavis specifically ordered us to keep Larcade out of demon hands. They'll be looking for him. We need to find him first. Once he's safe, _then_ we can look for Mavis."

"We can call on more resources from Heaven," Mira argued, "We can't leave off Mavis's rescue! We need to find her!"

"Mavis is one of my dearest friends," Makarov stated, taking Mira's hands to squeeze them reassuringly, "This is hard on me too…but she made it very clear what our mission entails. Until Larcade Dragneel is found and is properly guarded, we have to trust that Mavis knew what she was doing."

Mira's face had drained of colour. Laxus sat up on the bed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Makarov let go of Mira's hands, sighing deeply.

"I know who we need to ask for help on this," Mira said after a long moment.

Both men glanced at her.

"Mavis has one friend above all others that knows her inside and out…how she thinks…what her plans would be," Mira took a deep breath, "She would know how best to protect Larcade."

Makarov nodded, clueing in to Mira's idea, "You're right. She'll have a personal stake in all of this too. The other Angels will be convening with us once all the wards are safely asleep."

He sighed heavily, remembering the moment Mavis was struck with the black lightning attack. The look on her face was not that of fear…she was relieved that Wendy had been able to escape with Larcade.

Mavis knew _exactly_ what she was doing. Makarov had no doubt in his mind about that.

* * *

Each officer affected by the attack at the cabin had finally been taken into an exam room for treatment, leaving the Emergency Department in an odd state of empty silence. Evergreen didn't mind. She needed the peace to try to sort things out in her head.

Evergreen had been with the police force for many years. Her experience in organization was unparalleled to anyone else at the station, a beneficial skill as she worked hand in hand with Yukino Eucliffe on a regular basis. Yukino could not only draw information out of just about anyone, but she could see the steps ahead of an investigation…what supplies would be needed and what strategy would need to be undertaken. Evergreen could lay out the foundation to, and aid in the execution of, just about any plan soley based on Yukino's foresight. The two were an incredible team.

On top of that, Sting was a superb chief. He trusted both Yukino and Evergreen to do their parts so that he and Rogue could carry the plans out. They rarely questioned each other. The Magnolia Police Department's upper ranks worked like a well-oiled machine.

And yet, Evergreen was completely alone in the centre of the Emergency Department - alone to look at the pools of blood spilled from fellow officers that had yet to be cleaned…alone to realize that they'd been extremely lucky and hadn't lost any men at all, although some of the officers would not likely be returning to active duty anytime soon…and completely alone to question _what the hell had happened_.

It wasn't like her team to abandon her like this. Rogue's situation was understandable…he needed to be with his family. But why had Sting and Yukino abandoned her to deal with the upset spouses? They could have at least mentioned leaving if there was more to be taken care of.

"She needs an Angel," Erza said softly.

The Angels had reconvened at the Emergency Department, their various human wards all gathering around Evergreen to offer her their hugs of thanks.

Natsu and Lucy kept Sora and Aki close to them as everyone quieted to hear Evergreen's report. Rogue and Laki stood off to one side while Cana, Bacchus and the boys stood off to the other. Lucy momentarily glared at the boys before returning her attention to Evergreen. She still couldn't bring herself to look at them with anything but contempt and anger.

"We didn't lose anyone," Evergreen said in a low, firm voice.

The sighs of relief drowned her out for a moment. Laki threw herself into Rogue's arms. Natsu closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before she could continue.

"But the injuries…they're unlike anything I've ever seen," Evergreen whispered, "They're _burned_ …and _sliced._ I don't know how they could have sustained such horrible injuries…what on Earthland happened out there?"

Lucy wrapped her arm around Evergreen, drawing her in for a supportive hug. The Angels closed in, offering comfort to the group.

"Where's Sting?" Rogue asked, glancing around the room.

"Right here!" Sting announced from behind them. He was still tucking his shirt in. Yukino was red in the face, but seemed much more relaxed.

"If things weren't so serious tonight, I'd tease _the_ _fuck_ out of you," Rogue chastised, "Did you hear what Evergreen just said?"

Sting nodded, ignoring the quip, "We didn't lose anyone. Thank Mavis."

"We'll need to check on them all," Evergreen let out weary sigh, backing out of her hug with Lucy.

"Tomorrow, Ever. We're all going home tonight," Sting interrupted, " _All_ of us. Our officers are in good hands. We're all exhausted and no good to anyone the way we are. We all need our own beds. I don't want to see anyone at the station – or the hospital - before noon."

The group went quiet, knowing full well that Sting would be the _first_ to break that rule.

"How's Daisuke?" Yukino asked, turning to Laki to avoid Evergreen's teasingly judgmental glare from across the room.

Laki let out a sigh of relief, "He's sleeping peacefully. I didn't want to leave him, but the doctor pretty much insisted."

"He's right," Lucy laid a gentle hand on Laki's shoulder, "You're exhausted too. He needs you alert and rested."

"What about Gildarts?" Natsu asked, glancing to Bacchus and Cana.

"He's a tough old bastard," Cana waved a hand, "No attack will hold him down for long."

The entire group froze, exchanging glances as though they all held individual secrets.

"We were very lucky," Lucy said quietly, "It could have turned out very differently."

The crowd nodded their agreement.

"We should get together tomorrow," Rogue suggested, "All of us. We'll try to make sense of what happened as a group."

The others nodded, all heading for the exit together. Lucy frowned, putting a hand on both Aki and Sora's shoulders as she looked behind her.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something," she murmured to Natsu, "What am I missing?"

Natsu put his arm around her, refocusing her attention to the exit, "Let's worry about it tomorrow. I wanna go home."

* * *

"We can't keep clouding their minds forever," Erza told Jellal firmly, "It doesn't feel right…causing them to not think about what should be concerning them the most."

"We won't," Jellal promised, "This is only until we can tell them properly what's going on."

"They're all exhausted," Erik agreed, "They all need a good rest before they can deal with things."

"We'd like to take Sora home, if that's okay," Levy interjected.

Both Jellal and Erik nodded, agreeing the family needed to be together for Sora. Gajeel hurried out the door to intercept Natsu.

"I hope Lark and Wendy are safe," Juvia sighed heavily.

The other Angels were silent, each hoping the same thing as they broke apart to follow their human assignments. Erza paused to make a call to Heaven, requesting an Angel for Evergreen. The poor girl was overwhelmed and would really need concentrated comfort tonight.

"Lyon is already out, trying to track them down," Jellal told her, "Makarov will be in touch with instructions soon. They'll be fine. Wendy has years of experience under Crime Sorciere's umbrella."

Somehow, that was only somewhat comforting.

Pantherlily remained where he was, watching Gray, Carla and Happy leave with the Dragneels.

"You can go back to Gajeel and Levy's," Erik offered, realizing the Exceed didn't actually have a stationed post, "We'll be going over possible game plans with Makarov. I'm sure Gajeel and Levy would appreciate the extra support. Sora is feeling very vulnerable."

Pantherlily nodded, "I accept."

* * *

Cana backed out of the spare bedroom, leaving the two teenage boys in her care to get ready for bed. Bacchus had lent them both pairs of shorts and t-shirts to sleep in while Cana washed their clothes. Cana knew she wasn't going to wash their clothes at all, however…those were headed straight to the nearest dumpster. Tomorrow, she'd take them out and buy them some necessities. No matter what Fairy Tail decided to do with them after that, they'd at least start with the basics.

Bacchus met her out in the living, drawing her into a silent hug. He held her, stroking her hair for several minutes and periodically kissing the top of her head.

"I missed you," he said finally, "I was worried out of my mind."

"That's not like you," Cana teased, "Normally the only thing on _your_ mind is where your next drink is coming from!"

"How ironic…coming from you," Bacchus joked back, but the smile on his face didn't disguise the concern lingering in his eyes.

He pulled back, reaching behind him to the cupboard for a couple shot glasses. He poured some bourbon, offering her one before downing his.

Cana toyed with the glass for a moment before tossing its contents back, "It's not like you, Bacchus, to worry over me like this. We have the freest relationship of anyone I know. You don't normally worry about shit. I've disappeared before and you haven't batted an eye. You never ask me where I'm going, or who I'm with, or when I'll be home…so what's going on with you?"

"This…was different, Cana," Bacchus stated solemnly, "When you were gone, I couldn't shake the feeling that you were in deep trouble. And then it was confirmed that you were kidnapped. It terrified me…made me realize…"

Bacchus's voice trailed off as he poured them another shot.

"Realize what?" Cana asked, her brows furrowed.

Bacchus sighed, slamming back his shot glass. He placed it on the counter, concentrating deeply as he chose his words.

"I've never told you..." Bacchus stated finally, his voice trailing off as he looked anywhere but her eyes.

"Bacchus..." Cana whispered, "I still don't understand."

"You give me a boner, okay?" Bacchus half-shouted, "But it's not a penis boner! It's a boner on my heart!"

He paused, watching her shocked face.

"You give me a heart on," he murmured, "Like an affection erection."

Cana's mouth dropped open, shocked at his confession.

"I take it for granted that we're together," Bacchus continued, his confidence rising slightly, "I know you wouldn't cheat on me…and as long as you come home eventually, I have no reason to worry about you. But this was different."

Bacchus murmured, turning his back to her. He sighed heavily, trying to muster the courage to finish his confession.

"I didn't know if you'd be home this time. It made me realize…that I love you…and I'd be really lost without you."

He reached for the bourbon again. Cana reached her hand out, stilling his hand. He glanced at his feet, trying to keep her from seeing the tears gathered in his eyes.

"That was quite the confession," she whispered, their eyes locking.

"I read it on a meme on Fiore Book once," he muttered, trying to remove his hand.

"Still means a lot to me," Cana said softly, gripping his hand so it couldn't leave her. She ran the other hand down his face, "And I admit over the past several days, I've thought a lot about you too. I really needed to hear those words, Bacchus… I love you too."

Bacchus bend forward, intending to seal the tender moment with a kiss when they heard someone's throat clearing behind them.

"Boys!" Cana almost shouted, pushing Bacchus backward.

He hit the counter, almost knocking the flask of bourbon over… _almost_. He caught his balance, letting out a relieved chuckle. If he'd been close to tears before, knocking over that bottle _really_ would've given him something to cry about!

"We're sorry," Toby said meekly, "We just came to say goodnight."

"Yeah," Bacchus chuckled, finally getting his next shot poured, "Night boys."

Yuka bowed, following Toby back to the spare bedroom. Both Cana and Bacchus listened for the closing door.

"And _that_ ," Bacchus teased, "was not like _you!_ Since when are you embarrassed to shish my kabob in the privacy of our own home?"

Cana laughed out loud.

"Oh, I'm not embarrassed!" she denied, "And for the record, I have every intention of aggressively cuddling you all freakin' night!"

She paused, glancing toward the spare bedroom door.

Bacchus followed her gaze, noting the tender expression on Cana's face. He took her hands, squeezing them gently, then drew her into a hug.

"It's their first night here," he told her gently, "And their entire future is up in the air. We can let them sleep tonight and traumatize them another night."

She smiled, kissing his lips gently, "Thank you. I'll bring them to Fairy Tail maybe tomorrow and we'll figure something out for them. But they might need to stay here for a few more days."

Bacchus nodded, nuzzling the top of her head. Their hugs weren't normally so long, so she started to pull away, not wanting to overstay her welcome. He held her in place, his hand gently cradling the back of her head.

"Just a little longer, Cana…I'm not ready to let you go yet."

She nodded, settling against him. This new emotional intimacy between them was odd, but not at all unpleasant. In fact, she hoped he'd be this affectionate more often.

He kissed her one more time before releasing her to head for the bathroom, "As far as the boys go, it's fine. I see myself in Yuka. They're not bad kids...they just need some good influences. I'm going to take a shower and then I'm hitting the sack. Are you coming to bed, Babe? Even without the promise of horizontal mambo tonight?"

"Yeah," Cana promised, "I'll be right there. And I promise...I'll tweak your feathers tomorrow."

He winked, blowing her a kiss. Cana watched him disappear into the bathroom, then poured herself a bourbon as she heard the shower come on, staring into space.

"I was wrong, Cana," a soft voice said from behind her, "I think I told you he was no good for you. But he _does_ love you…and he's proved it more than once just with that one... _extremely interesting..._ conversation."

Cana whirled around, breaking out into a grin as she recognized Juvia. They hugged for a long moment.

"Do Angels drink?" Cana asked wickedly, eyeing Bacchus's empty shot glass.

Juvia shook her head, "You go ahead. It's been a long few days and I think alcohol would go straight to my head right now."

Cana watched Juvia out of the corner of her eye as she downed two more shots in quick succession. She looked amazing. Juvia had always been beautiful, but she looked radiant now. Her long blue hair cascaded almost to her lower back. Her Angel garb consisted of a blue dress, slit from the thigh down to her knees.

"I have so many questions…" Cana blurted out.

She could feel Juvia pushing calmness through her body…and she basked in it. She realized she was probably one of the few humans who realized what this feeling was.

Juvia smiled, "I know…I haven't got long tonight, but I promise the Angels have every intention of answering your questions tomorrow."

"I can't believe you're really here…" Cana sniffed back a tear, "None of us ever let your memory fade, Juvia…we all love you, even after all these years."

Juvia squeezed her hand, "I'm very proud of everything you've become, Cana…all of you."

"Have you always been around us?" Cana asked in awe.

Juvia nodded.

"I think I knew on some level," Cana put her drink down, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, "But I can't tell you how good it is to know that you're okay."

"I'm better than okay," Juvia promised, "I'm with my Gray now."

"Can I tell the others that?" Cana asked. Her voice shook as she thought about the rest of the Fairy Tail crew. They were more than co-workers…more than even friends…Fairy Tail was her family. Even in death, Juvia continued to be the glue that held them together. They all loved her…it would bring great peace to them to know that she was okay, "I think they'd want to know."

Juvia nodded, hugging Cana's sobbing body. She poured comfort through her. Slowly, Cana's tears began to subside.

Cana pulled back when she heard the shower turn off, laughing as Juvia dried her tears with the sleeve of her dress.

"Is it over now?" Cana asked when she'd pulled herself together.

Juvia hummed over her answer, "It is for you. The Angels will make sure you won't fall victim to this again."

"Lark…" Cana whispered. She'd had to push the name from her lips, almost like she had problems remembering his name.

"He's okay for now," Juvia promised, "He's with Wendy. She'll protect him."

Bacchus opened the door, a toothbrush stuffed in his mouth. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the blue-haired Angel with his Cana.

"Bacchus…do you remember Juvia?" Cana gestured toward Juvia, smiling as he took another step toward them. The towel around his middle loosened and he grabbed it quickly, dropping his toothbrush onto the floor.

"I-I think we only met once or twice," Bacchus stuttered as his initial shock subsided. It was one thing to battle demons out in the open...but _there was an Angel in his kitchen_... "I'd only taken Cana out a couple times before you…died."

Juvia smiled, "It's good to see you. I have to go for now. I just needed to see that you got home. But I'll see you later, okay?"

Bacchus and Cana both nodded, staring at the pretty Angel.

"Those boys," Juvia said thoughtfully, glancing from Cana to Bacchus, "I think they'll need a good home. I know you'll find one for them, Cana. The right solution will come to you. Sleep well."

They stared at the spot that Juvia disappeared from for several moments.

"I don't even know what to think," Bacchus shook his head, "Everything that's happened lately is surreal."

"I don't want to think about it anymore," Cana sighed, "These have been the longest few days _ever._ I'm ready to get some shut-eye."

Cana took Bacchus's hand, leading him toward their room. She felt the same peace flood through her that she'd felt when Juvia had hugged her before. No more words were needed for the time being. It was time to sleep.

* * *

The ride home from the hospital was silent for the Redfoxes. Sora sat in the back seat of the taxi with Levy, staring out the window. Levy opened her mouth more than once to say something, but there wasn't a lot they _could_ say in front of the cab driver.

The house was just as they'd left it. The supper dishes were still on the table. Levy went straight to work to clear them, Sora pitching in without a word. She looked deep in thought and Levy actually found herself a little hesitant to strike up a conversation. Sora had said back at the clearing that she was sorry that she had hurt Gajeel with her comment…however, she didn't say anything about accepting the huge revelation that had been dropped on her.

Gajeel watched his two tense females, deciding he was going to need to intervene before things got worse.

Gajeel pulled out a huge tub of ice cream, plunking it in the middle of the kitchen table that Sora had just wiped. Without a word, he lumbered back into the kitchen and pulled out 3 spoons, allowing them to clank to the table as he sat at his place. He watched Sora for a reaction.

"It's Rocky Road," he grunted, "Your favourite."

Sora glanced at Levy, who crossed the room, picking up the spoon that Gajeel pushed toward her. Both parents watched her expectantly.

Sora froze, unsure if she was ready for the conversation Gajeel was obviously trying to, in his own special way, instigate.

"We got you a cat," Gajeel harrumphed, reaching under the table, "His name is Pantherlily."

He pulled out the black Exceed. Sora noticed again the crescent scar over his eye and the white over his muzzle. She stared, shaking her head slightly.

"That's no ordinary cat," she said quietly.

"No," Levy agreed, "But he'll be great company for you…for all of us, really. Come sit."

The cat stood on his hind legs, eyeing the remaining spoon.

"The least you could have done is offered me a spoon too," he grumbled in a low, masculine voice.

Sora jumped back, her eyes wide, "Okay…so he flies _and_ he can talk? What the hell kind of cat _is_ he?"

"I'm not a cat! I'm an Exceed!" the feline snapped at her, "And if you're not going to use that spoon, then please let me have it!"

Sora eyed the Exceed as she backed up to the drawer to retrieve another spoon. She hesitated again, her parents watching her with pleading eyes. Gajeel gestured to the empty chair again. Slowly, Sora took her chair, watching as the Exceed grabbed the remaining spoon and dipped it into the container.

"Exquisite," the Exceed drawled, immediately going back for the next bite.

"What's an Exceed?" Sora asked, finally breaking the awkward silence.

"An Exceed is a helper to Angels," Levy explained quietly, "They can provide comfort to their human wards and – "

"Fly," Sora interrupted, "I saw that. The Dragneel's new cat and dead cat were able to fly too."

"Pretty cool, right?" Levy exclaimed, "A flying cat?"

She and Gajeel both laughed, but Sora couldn't laugh with them. It was daunting.

"A cat that can talk…and fly…and eats ice cream," Sora said softly.

Pantherlily looked up, his muzzle completely covered in the chocolate ice cream, "What? Your parents just finished saying this is your favourite! Not my fault if you haven't indulged yet! I'm willing to share!"

Gajeel placed his hand on top of hers, his eyes lit with mischief, "Sora…do we have to break out the maraschino cherries?"

Levy snickered, taking the hint. Maraschino cherries on top of Rocky Road ice cream was Sora's _favourite_ _of_ _f_ avourites. She pulled down four bowls and reached into the fridge for the special item.

"I'll take the liberty of bringing the chocolate sauce too," she announced, "Since we all know that's what's coming next."

"Do we have bananas?" Gajeel demanded, the excitement in his voice making it impossible for Sora to withhold her giggles. It always amused her how much food could enthuse Gajeel.

Levy passed out the bowls. The Exceed, having already had his share of ice cream straight from the tub, watched with wide eyes as Levy divided up two bananas and heaped giant scoops of ice cream on top of them. She drizzled the chocolate sauce, then placed about 10 cherries in each bowl.

"Are you full now, Pantherlily?" Levy laughed, noting the drool that threatened to escape his mouth.

Pantherlily didn't even answer, diving into his bowl with the same velocity as Gajeel.

"They're peas in a pod," Sora commented.

Levy nodded, "In Heaven, we don't eat often. We don't need to. This is a huge treat for Pantherlily."

Sora cocked her head, "But you _do_ eat…you've always eaten with me."

Gajeel grinned, his mouth full of banana, "That's cuz we can! An' cuz we got used to it!"

Sora couldn't help herself from giggling again. She loved it when her father was being goofy.

Levy reached over, patting Sora's hand gently, "You see, baby? We're still who we've always been. It's going to be okay."

"We'll answer your questions," Gajeel promised, "It'll take time and it won't all happen tonight…but no more secrets."

Sora nodded slowly, reaching for her spoon. She took a spoonful of cherries first.

* * *

Ren and Saichi lumbered through the door, heading straight to their rooms for bed. They didn't ask questions…they had learned long ago that their parents couldn't answer questions due to the nature of their jobs.

Yukino sighed, noting the dinner dishes from the night of their rushed departure still on the table. She started cleaning them up. She couldn't ask questions either.

Sting sat on the couch his head between his hands. Now that he was in the sanctuary of his own home, he finally had a moment to decompress. He almost preferred to be busy. Then he didn't have time to think.

"Sting…" Yukino paused, noting his posture.

"I'm fine, Yuki," Sting promised, "But if you don't mind, could you make me one of those teas that will make me sleep? I'll do the dishes if you wouldn't mind helping me with that."

Yukino nodded, pulling out the kettle. Sting took a deep breath, then joined her in the kitchen to clean up the mess left the other night.

"Sting…" Yukino said quietly as she mixed the ingredients for Sting's tea together.

"What is it, Yuki?" Sting paused as he finished placing plates in the dishwasher, turning to her. He hated how troubled her face looked.

She didn't continue, sighing in place of the words she couldn't find.

"Yuki?"

Sting put the cup he was transporting to the dishwasher down, wrapping his arms around his wife's stomach from behind. He pressed into her back, burying his face into her shoulder blades.

"What's wrong, Yuki? You're acting very strange tonight."

Yukino's eyes filled with tears, "I'm acting strange, Sting? Really?"

Sting didn't know how to respond to that. Her voice was a cross between anger, fatigue, and uncertainty.

"I can't do it anymore, Sting," Yukino whispered.

"Do what?" Sting asked softly. He kissed her neck gently.

"I can't keep wondering if you're coming back when something big goes down," Yukino choked out.

"It's my job, Yuki," Sting said hesitantly, his worry increasing. It was not like Yukino to be emotional like this. She was the toughest woman he'd ever met, "You know that…you work alongside me!"

"So I'm not allowed to feel like this?" she yelped, her exasperation making her voice squeak.

Sting froze. He had never heard Yukino complain about his job like this before. It was a bit shocking to him that she was this upset.

She sniffed, choosing her next words carefully, "The chief in Onibus and Clover and different precincts throughout Crocus…all of their chiefs work in the background. Their dangerous years are behind them."

"I can't ask my officers to go out there if I'm not willing to be out there too," Sting protested, tightening his grip around her waist. He had that foreboding feeling…the one he usually got before he and Yukino got into one of their arguments that would last for days, "Our precinct is efficient because we all pull our weight together…"

"I was really scared tonight," Yukino interrupted, "I saw our fellow officers – our _friends_ \- coming in with severe injuries…and the _one_ face I was looking for…the _one face_ that should have been beside me…I didn't know where you were, Sting…and the longer I stood there, the more I started to wonder if maybe you'd been injured or, Mavis forbid, killed. Knowing you, you could be dying and you'd _still_ send your injured officers to the hospital before you…"

Yukino couldn't hold back her tears anymore. They dripped from her eyes, landing on Sting's arms. He turned her around, pulling her into his chest.

"I'm sorry, Yuki," he whispered, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Yukino was crying openly now. He stroked her hair, his gut churning at her words. She had never once in their 16-year marriage questioned his position at the station. Things had happened that had scared both of them in the past, but she had never once wavered in her support. Then again, Yukino rarely complained about anything. She was unafraid to express her opinions and unafraid to take Sting head-on when she disagreed with something. It was daunting to realize that she had never once expressed this fear to him before.

"I always come home," he assured her, loosening his grip so that he could kiss her forehead, "You know that."

Her watery eyes met his as she shook her head vigorously, "I didn't know that today, Sting…"

"What do you want me to do?" Sting asked, wiping her tears with a shaking finger.

Yukino was quiet, thankful to be sheltered in his embrace.

"I don't know," she murmured after a long moment, "Your tea is ready. Do you mind…if I go wash up for bed?"

He nodded into her hair, kissing her forehead, "Go ahead, sweetheart. Yuki…I love you. You know that, right?"

She nodded, offering him a feeble smile as she backed out of his arms.

"Yeah, Sting," she whispered, "I know."

He stared at the hallway for a long time after she disappeared, deeply contemplating her words. Yukino had known when they started dating that Sting was married to his work. They'd had a whirlwind romance, resulting in an impromptu elopement. As much as they fought, Sting _loved_ their relationship. He love _her._ No other woman would ever put up with what Yukino did.

"It'll be okay," a voice told him gently.

Sting didn't have to turn around to know Jellal had joined him. He sighed heavily.

"Is she right, Jellal?" Sting wondered out loud, "Should I be hiding behind a desk while my officers take on daily duty?"

Jellal shook his head as Sting took a sip of the tea. He handed Sting a few dishes as he silently voiced that he'd help Sting finish up the kitchen.

"I don't think there _is_ a right or wrong here," Jellal said quietly, "Being chief or leader is hard. You have no choice but to keep secrets sometimes and it's hard on your partner. Believe it or not, I understand this better than you think I do."

"You were the leader of Crime Sorciere," Sting acknowledged, "And you stepped back to look after Fairy Tail and the Dragneels to be with Erza."

Jellal nodded, "Whether you're an Angel or a human, it's hard to find the right balance in a relationship. Yukino worries for you. She always has, whether she admits it or not."

Sting sighed, "I didn't lose any officers tonight…but it very easily could have gone the other way."

Jellal nodded again.

"And Natsu…" Sting took another sip of his tea, feeling the effects starting to set in, "We can't avoid giving him and the families explanations, Jellal. I don't think you'll be able to make everyone forget this time."

"We don't intend to," Jellal told him, "I agree…this time, we need to be upfront with everyone. It's not over. All of Heaven is pulling together, preparing for a possible war. We have to find Larcade Dragneel and protect him. We can't hide that."

"So, what happens now?" Sting asked, glancing at his friend.

Jellal smiled, "Tonight, you sleep. You'll sleep well…I promise. The Angels will meet up with everyone tomorrow when you have your meeting and we'll get through this…together."

Sting yawned, downing the last of his tea. The kitchen was clean again. Sting nodded his thanks.

"I have something for you," Jellal told him. He snapped his finger. A red cat appeared, a blue vest on his back. He stood on his hind legs, a cocky grin on his face.

"A cat!" Sting exclaimed.

"I'm no cat!" the Exceed harrumphed, "And if we're going to be best friends, you might as well call me Lector!"

Sting chuckled, "A _talking_ cat no less! Still, nothing surprises me anymore."

"He'll watch over the kids and Yukino when you can't be around," Jellal advised him, "And he can help fight feelings of anxiety."

Sting patted Lector's head. Lector grinned up at him, reaching for his hand to shake it.

"He's working already," Sting quipped, "Welcome to the family, Lector."

* * *

"So, Daisuke will stay in the hospital?" Megumi asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes…but not for long," Laki assured her.

They were just coming into the Cheney house. Megumi had talked non-stop from the Dragneel house, but both her parents welcomed the chatter.

"He's okay, Meg," Rogue promised, "Just a couple days to rest and catch up with sleep and he'll be home. We'll go see him tomorrow, okay?"

Megumi nodded, a bright smile on her face.

"Go wash up for bed," Laki told her gently, "Daddy and I will both come in to kiss you goodnight."

Megumi nodded, skipping off to the bathroom. Her relief that her brother had been found had quelled all of her fears. Laki found herself wishing to be a child again – calm acceptance that everything is okay. End of story.

"I'll sleep tonight," Rogue murmured in her ear, wrapping his arms around her. She settled into his arms.

"I'll sleep better when Daisuke's home," she admitted, "It's never been harder for me to leave him. We still have no answers as to what happened to him…I've never been so relieved…"

He kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her lips.

"He's okay now."

She nodded, her brow furrowing, "I want to prosecute those bastards to the fullest extent of the law though, Rogue…extradite them and let me at them."

Rogue couldn't respond to that. She wouldn't understand at this point what had happened. Hell, he was finding it hard to believe himself!

"I'm ready, Mommy and Daddy!" Megumi yelled from the bedroom.

The family cuddled for a good half hour as Rogue told a story. It was a horrible retelling of Snow White, but everyone was so tired, he doubted anyone was paying attention to details anyway. Partway through, Rogue realized that Laki had actually fallen asleep with their daughter in her arms. He thought about letting her know they could get up now, but decided instead to leave her there. She needed the sleep.

"They'll sleep soundly tonight," Erik told him, appearing beside him at the door where Rogue watched his family.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Rogue asked.

Erik nodded, "You are a lucky man."

"Thank you," Rogue said, straining to keep the choke out of his voice, "Thank you for finding our Daisuke and making sure he got out of there alive."

Erik nodded again, "Your boy was very brave, Rogue. You should be proud."

"I am. You wouldn't believe how proud," Rogue agreed.

Both men fell silent, watching Laki and Megumi cuddle together as they slept.

"Nobody asked questions tonight," Rogue noted, "Everyone went home, leaving everything unanswered…"

Erik was quiet, admiring Rogue's ability to stay vigilant, even through his fatigue and concern about his son.

"We're suppressing their curiosity so everyone will sleep tonight," Erik promised, "We'll talk tomorrow."

Rogue yawned, "I'll hold you to that. Think that bed is big enough for me too?"

Erik grinned, noting the foot of room left. It wasn't a lot of room at all, but Rogue worked his way onto the bed, enveloping his wife and daughter with his arms. Winking at Erik, he closed his eyes.

Erik sighed contentedly. Rogue would sleep well. He was about to transport when he remembered he was supposed to summon a little Exceed to introduce to the Cheney family. He summoned him anyway, chuckling as the little green Exceed appeared in his tell-tale pink frog costume.

"Well, hello there Frosch! Reporting for duty as requested, eh?"

Frosch saluted him, a big grin on his face. Erik motioned Frosch to the door, pointing out the sleeping family.

"Those are the Cheneys…they could really use a good Exceed like you. Think you can handle it?"

"Fro thinks so!" the little Exceed promised.

Erik patted him on his head, "Okay then…I'll leave you to it."

Frosch gave him a thumbs up, his large eyes lit up, "You can count on Frosch!"

* * *

Natsu and Lucy sighed contentedly, piled into a family cuddle puddle on the couch. It wasn't that big of a couch...but it was big enough that the two adults and 7 children could cuddle on it if they really needed to...and it seemed they really needed to right now.

"Are you okay, Daddy?" Brielle asked, palming his chin as she looked him over.

Aimi and Haru's eyes were glued to Aki, looking her up and down. Aki smiled reassuringly.

"I'm fine, Button," Natsu promised, kissing her forehead, "It's very late. Everyone gets to sleep in their rooms tonight."

The kids went silent, glancing to each other.

"Is it okay if we stay here again tonight?" Connor asked, "I don't really want to sleep alone."

"Me neither," Mieske agreed.

"Is it okay if you kids stay in here?" Lucy asked, "While Daddy and I sleep in our room?"

The kids nodded, settling into their sleeping bags without another word.

"We love you," Lucy whispered.

Natsu took Lucy's hand, leading her to their room. He closed the door, placing his forehead on it for a long moment.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked.

Their hands were still joined. He turned, sliding down the door to a sitting position. She lowered herself between his legs, putting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her firmly against his chest.

Flashes of memory raced through Natsu's mind, but he couldn't see the memories clearly. All he knew was that they were tinged with red…almost like fury. It scared him. Lucy tilted her head up, seeing the confusion and fatigue in his eyes.

She wasn't sure who kissed who first, but the next thing she knew, they were locked in a desperate, passionate kiss. He slid his hand down her arm, squeezing gently as his other hand went straight for her breast. She threw her arms around his neck, tilting it as Natsu connected his lips to her jugular.

"Luce," Natsu choked out. He paused, burying his face in her breasts.

Lucy stilled momentarily as she realized how hard Natsu was working to maintain his emotional control.

"I'm right here, baby," she whispered. She needed to take control for him. Natsu was struggling...and he needed her.

She pulled him to his feet by his shirt, thrusting him back toward the bed. Her hands ran all over his upper torso, her lips never leaving his as she pushed him onto his back. His shirt flung to the ground, hers following. Natsu wasn't even sure how she'd undressed him so fast. It didn't matter. He couldn't think straight anymore…and that's exactly what he wanted. Natsu gave in, escaping to his safe place…the arms of Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel.

* * *

In the living room, Erza joined Gray, winking at him as they both settled to watch the children for the night. They were all cuddled together on the floor, Brielle inside Aimi's sleeping bag.

"Aren't you going to watch over Natsu and Lucy tonight?" Gray asked.

Erza shook her head, "No need. Lucy is the only one who can provide what Natsu needs right now. They don't need me for the time being."

Gray chuckled to himself, returning his gaze to the Dragneel children…wishing Juvia was there with them too. Natsu and Lucy weren't the only ones who could use a little reassurance.

Erza sat beside him against the wall, wishing for Jellal.

* * *

Wendy shook her head, watching as Lark practiced disappearing and reappearing around the humans in the lobby of their hotel. He was having entirely too much fun. It intrigued him that he could walk unnoticed by the other humans. Moreover, there were Angels in the lobby as well that were completely oblivious to his presence. Eventually, Wendy had managed to make him say the right words…and he was truly concealed.

Wendy was a patient teacher. She explained each ability to him as best as she could. The _shadows_ were used for hiding and observing. It could also be used for traveling quickly – much more quickly than by simply walking. This was a good for following people as well. _Transparency_ made Angels invisible, but they had to be cautious in that form because humans could actually touch them if they weren't careful. Lark listened while Wendy explained the difference between _nudge_ and _compel_ ( _nudge_ was used for pushing an action while _compel_ was used for suggesting a course of thought), but he was quickly becoming tired of the lecture. Wendy ultimately decided to keep abilities like _whisper_ a lesson for another time. He was anxious to start _trying._ He'd learned a little about _transporting_ in the forest, but seeing that it was clear he'd learned enough for one day, Wendy decided to help him practice by leaping from room to room. Soon, she realized they'd resumed the game of chase they'd had to abandon earlier…and she was really enjoying the interaction.

At first, he'd been content to flit between rooms too, sometimes using the shadows, sometimes using _transparency_ because he thought it was hysterical to brush past the humans and have them wonder what had touched them. She was chasing him at the moment, both of them weaving in and out of unsuspecting humans when suddenly he screeched to a halt outside the hotel bar.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, "We can't go in there!"

"Why?" Lark asked, "Nobody will see us!"

"Because you're 16!" Wendy cried out, "It's wrong!"

"I'm 17 in like 2 weeks," Lark argued, "Besides…if you what you were telling me about Heaven time is true, I'm probably a lot older than that! We won't drink…we'll just…check it out."

Wendy opened her mouth to protest, sighing heavily as Lark bypassed her by _transporting_ inside.

Wendy bit her lip as she scanned the bar from the door, trying to catch sight of her rebellious teenage ward. The bar was hopping, loud music blaring from the dance floor. There were a couple pool tables off to one side. It was awfully hard to pick out _any_ faces, let alone the one she was trying to find.

She finally spotted Lark bouncing on the dance floor next to a curvaceous blonde. Her dark-haired partner return to the dance floor. Huffing, Lark changed direction, joining a shy curly-haired at the bar. She sat next to a muscular man on a stool, staring at her drink. The brown-haired man had his back to her, chatting with his buddies. Lark could see that she liked him. She kept looking at him, then back at her drink. Lark glanced back at Wendy, gesturing between the two with a cocky nod. Wendy shook her head, warning him with her eyes not to intervene. Lark's grin got broader as he turned back to them.

The girl moved to get up from her stool, seemingly giving up for the night. Lark concentrated, giving her a slight push backward into the brown-haired man's back.

The man jumped, then turned to catch her as she fell.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his intense eyes make her lose her breath slightly. He supported her with his arms, gently lifting her back to a standing position.

The sandy blonde girl's face turned red, "I'm so sorry."

"Had a little too much to drink?" he teased.

She shook her head, pointing at her pretty much untouched rum and Coke, "I'm not a huge drinker."

The man grinned, turning to go back to his friends, "Have a good night, ma'am."

"Yes!" she spat out quickly, "I'll have a good night. You too! You have a good night too."

She sighed heavily as she shook her head, seemingly embarrassed at the short exchange.

"She's not good at flirting," Lark told Wendy as she finally navigated the crowd to join him, "I should help her out a bit."

"You should _not_ help her out a bit!" Wendy hissed, "You've had your fun – let's go!"

"Flirting is my specialty!" Lark whispered back, "And why are we whispering? Nobody can hear us!"

"Lark!" Wendy said a little louder, trying to sound stern, "We should go back to our room!"

Lark waved her off, turning back to the forlorn girl. He sifted through his mind, going over the abilities that Wendy had been teaching him throughout the night. His eyes lit up, catching Wendy's as he gave her a thumbs up. Wendy face-palmed.

He snapped his fingers. The girl's hand reached out, tapping the man on the shoulder.

Wendy gawked…she _hadn't_ taught him _compel_ …she _knew_ she hadn't!

" _You're really cute_!" Lark whispered in her ear.

 _Or whisper! She definitely hadn't taught him whisper!_

"You're really cute!" the sandy blonde girl blurted out.

The brown-haired man turned, the girl's mouth as wide open as her eyes, stunned to silence at her abrupt boldness.

"You're pretty cute yourself," he smiled. He stuck out his hand, "I'm Johnny."

"F-Francis," she stuttered, her already red cheeks flaming brighter.

"Do you dance, Francis?" Johnny asked, flashing her a bright grin.

"I…I…" Francis backed up slightly, suddenly overwhelmed.

Lark frowned.

Francis had reared back, horrified at herself for being so bold.

"I can show you," Johnny suggested, a soft smile on his face. He extended his hand, "Come on...no sense sitting in a corner, baby."

Slowly, Francis reached out, "O-Okay."

Lark grinned at Wendy triumphantly as the two made their way to the dance floor.

"Okay," Wendy admitted, tapping her foot, "That was kinda cool. But how did you know how to _compel_ and _whisper?_ I never taught you those abilities!"

Lark shrugged, "It just felt right. Does it matter?"

A lively song overtook the entire bar. People started bouncing to the music, the lights dimming.

Lark extended a hand to her, "We should dance too!"

"What?" Wendy strained to hear him over the sudden change in volume.

"DANCE WITH ME!" he yelled.

He didn't give her a chance to answer, grabbing her hand and yanking her to the floor.

Wendy was thankful for the darkness. She was sure her face rivaled the colour of Erza's hair as Lark grabbed her hands and started moving to the music. Wendy stood still, completely unsure of what to do.

"C'mon, Wendy!" Lark yelled over the noise.

Wendy shook her head, slowly backing away as she pulled away.

"Don't Angels dance?"

Wendy shook her head again.

Lark extended his hand, "It's fun…let me teach you."

Wendy stared at his hand. He reached for her, gently wrapping her arm around his back as the music changed to an upbeat rock song.

"Just move to the music," he told her, "Feel it and just move."

Wendy was still uncertain. She remained completely still as he started jumping with the music. She watched him, noting how his movements were in time to the beat. He put his hands on her hips, encouraging her to sway. She complied, but her arms were as stiff as a board.

"Loosen up!" he laughed, "C'mon, Wendy! It's not hard!"

Wendy glanced over to Francis, who was pressed up against Johnny. Their bodies moved in sync. All signs of shyness were gone. She aligned her body with Lark's, fitting into his movements. Lark's face flustered as she inadvertently ground against him, waves of pleasure coursing through both of them.

"I don't think I can do this," Wendy blurted out, "Maybe we should go back to the room."

Lark regarded her. She wasn't nervous or upset…she just didn't know what to do. He wondered if Angels _ever_ took time to have fun.

"You can do it," he encouraged, drawing her closer. He moved her hands to his hips, re-placing his on hers, "Relax. It's fun."

Wendy watched Johnny and Francis, trying to mimic Francis's movements as she slid up and down Johnny's body, her hands traveling his torso as she stared directly into his eyes. Lark moved his hands from her hips once she gained a bit of confidence, encircling her back. She was still watching Francis, attempting to copy the way she moved her hips.

Suddenly, Johnny swooped down, capturing Francis's lips. Francis kissed him back passionately. Wendy's eyes widened as she caught Lark's eye. He was grinning ear-to-ear, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Time to go!" she insisted, backing away from him.

Even in the dark, Lark could see how red her face was. She kept glancing over to the sandy blonde and her dark-haired partner, getting more flustered by the second as they backed up against the wall, now pawing each other. Lark wouldn't have tried to kiss her, but he really didn't like that Wendy was _that_ uncomfortable with the scene in front of them.

"Okay," Lark agreed, "We can go now."

He could hear her sigh of relief as they left the bar to return to their room.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Lark stated quietly as they walked.

Wendy shrugged, "It's fine. I'm...just not used to being so close to someone."

"You've never danced before?" Lark asked, "Not even when you were human?"

They were in no hurry now. Lessons were seemingly over for the night.

"No," Wendy admitted, "I died as a child."

"You picked it up well," he praised her, "I hope you enjoyed it a _little_ bit. I know I did."

Her face blanched.

"It's okay, Wendy," Lark told her, squeezing her hand lightly, "I won't tease you about that anymore."

She relaxed, nodding her thanks.

"So what _do_ you do for fun then?" Lark asked.

Wendy shook her head, "I don't know. Fun isn't a high priority for me. Crime Sorciere has things to do…people to protect. There's not a lot of time for fun."

Lark frowned, "And you've been with Crime Sorciere for how long?"

Wendy didn't answer. The truth was, it seemed like forever.

They'd arrived back at the room. Wendy sat on one side of the bed, Lark on the other.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

"It's late," she stated, "We should sleep."

"And then what?" Lark inquired, "What do we do tomorrow?"

Wendy hadn't thought that far ahead. Lark had picked up abilities quickly and now he was concealed…so what _would_ they do now?

"I guess we'll find a way to get in touch with the other Angels and wait for instructions," Wendy replied after a long moment.

"My parents will be freaking," Lark sighed.

Wendy noted the sudden change in his personality. Suddenly, it occurred to her why Lark had been so desperate to get into the bar. When he was having fun, he didn't mope. In quiet times, he worried. It was the same pattern she'd noted before from him.

"The other Angels will help your family," Wendy promised.

"How do we even get in touch with them?" Lark pulled back the covers on the left side of the bed.

"A pay phone?" she sighed. She didn't know. She really didn't want their location to be traced. Her cell phone was long gone. Using Lark's phone would be risky. She was sure if demons were trying to track him, they'd resort to tracing it. A pay phone might be the safest.

She pulled back the covers on the right side, both of them staring at the bed with deep sighs.

"Can I sleep in my boxers?" he asked, making her red instantly, "It's way more comfortable than sleeping in jeans."

 _"Having fun...and avoiding the issues at hand,"_ she sighed to herself, " _That's how he deals with things."_

"I-I guess so," she murmured, "Maybe we'd better buy some clothes tomorrow."

He shot her a grin, shimmying his jeans to the floor before sliding into the bed.

"What do Angels wear to bed?"

"I thought you said you wouldn't tease anymore!"

Lark cocked his head, "I said I wouldn't tease about the dancing...what Angels wear to bed is a valid question...I really want to know!"

Wendy clicked the light off, then slid into the bed…fully clothed.

" _Will_ my family be okay now?" Lark asked quietly, "The demons won't go after my family because I'm missing, will they?"

Wendy wished she knew the answer to that.

"No," she half-lied, "The other Angels won't let anything happen to them. I have a feeling they'll concentrate their resources on finding…"

Lark nodded in the darkness. She heard him swallow, reaffirming her theory that Lark was worrying...heavily. His face had paled and he was staring at the ceiling.

"Are you scared?" she asked softly, reaching for his hand.

He squeezed it, "I guess. Yeah. This is different than anything I've ever had to face before. I mean...I've never had homicidal demons chasing me before or anything. It's a bit intimidating."

"I know," Wendy whispered, "But you've got Heaven on your side. We'll get through this."

Lark was quiet for a long moment, playing with her fingers.

"Wendy?"

"Yeah?"

"When Brielle's scared, Mom sings her a lullaby."

Wendy couldn't stifle her giggle, "Go to sleep, Lark."

Lark smiled to himself, then closed his eyes, feeling the peace that she sent over him, lulling him to sleep.

* * *

"These losers need to go back to prison," Loke muttered.

Romeo noted how tired the other man looked. His eyes were bloodshot and Romeo found himself wondering when Loke had last taken a break. With all the chaos the police had been facing recently, a lot of the duty with Dan and Jackal had fallen to Loke and Mest. Maybe now that Daisuke and Cana had been recovered, more police could pick up the slack and give them a break.

"You know they're full of shit, right?" Romeo asked, "Dan is creepy like that…he likes messing with people's heads."

"That's true," Mest agreed, "But Dan has been creepier than normal."

"A lot creepier than normal," Loke sighed.

* * *

Jackal sat in his cell, staring at the wall. His hair had been standing on end for about a half hour. The foreboding feeling of doom made his heart race. His own heart beat was driving him insane. He sat up, banging on the wall he knew Dan would be sitting against on the other side.

"Dan! Dan! You piece of shit! Do you feel that?"

There was nothing but silence. The walls had been reinforced with thick iron. He doubted even the Fairy Tail rats gave a shit as to how uncomfortable he was. Meal time was over. His plastic plate lay on the trolley, ready to be transported back to the other side. He almost _hoped_ the usual idiots would hurry up and open the doors. He just needed to see some familiar faces…to know that he wasn't alone.

As if on cue, he heard the familiar rattle. The door slid upward revealing the barred windows that would allow him to see the other side.

"It's about time!" Jackal bellowed, lumbering toward the door, "I swear if you losers were any slower…"

"Shut up, Jackass," Loke mumbled, "I'm just getting your dinnerware. I don't want to talk."

"I need out of here!" Jackal exclaimed, "Seriously, man…I'm losing it in here. Something is wrong."

Loke glanced at him, reading the sincerity on his face.

"I won't run. Just let me out. Please," Jackal begged.

"I'm not doing that," Loke told him firmly, "Another couple days, you won't be my problem anymore. Back away from the door."

"Seriously, man! I'm not alone in this room!" Jackal reiterated, "Something bad is going to happen."

Romeo stood up, glancing from Mest to Loke.

"You're both paranoid," Mest scolded, "Now shut up and back away from the door!"

Jackal refused to move, hooking his arms through the door bars.

"Oh, you've got to be shitting me!" Mest groaned, "We aren't paid enough to deal with this."

Michelle and Racer glanced at each other, watching intently as a dark, ominous presence because _very_ real. They watched as the room grew visibly darker.

"I don't like this," Michelle whispered, regardless of the fact that their human counterparts couldn't hear them, "Do you feel that?"

Racer nodded, "We've been feeling it for days…but it's stronger tonight."

Mest stormed away from the doors, heading for the stairs.

" _You_ deal with him!" he declared to Loke.

Loke glanced back at Aries, watching with wide eyes as Jackal started to cackle.

"Get away from the door, Jackal!" Loke warned.

Romeo stood behind him, folding his arms angrily.

In the next instant, all hell broke loose. There was a dark flash, then a violent explosion from inside Jackal's cell that literally blew both cells apart, throwing Jackal backward against the far wall and Dan in the opposite direction. He screamed, clunking his head on the ground when he landed.

The stunned humans stood back, shocked as two beings walked from the cage, "Hello Angels."

"Who are you?" Loke demanded, scurrying backward toward the wall Aries was huddled against. They glanced around the room. _Angels?_

Romeo and Jet both pulled their guns.

The demons didn't even acknowledge Loke's questions nor the stunned cops pointing guns at them. They weren't threats. The human cops hands were shaking. Pathetic.

Both had their sights set on Jackal.

Mest appeared at the top of the stairs, his eyes wide with alarm. He ushered Kinana back down, reaching for his cell to call for help, then pulled his taser.

"It's time, Jackal," the shorter of the two blonde demons sing-songed, "I'm Zancrow…and this is Tempester. We've been sent to claim you."

Jackal screeched. He'd been thrown against the wall from the blast that had destroyed both cells. His arm was angled strangely and there was blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"You're embarrassing yourself, screaming like a little kid," Tempester told him. He and Zancrow Rock-Paper-Scissored, his face falling as Zancrow won the draw. He stepped back, allowing Zancrow the honour, "At least _pretend_ you're still a tough guy."

Zancrow stuck his hands out, a scythe engulfed in flames appearing in his hands. He swung it backward, aiming straight for the back of Jackal's neck.

The scythe froze mid-air, Michelle pushing back against it with her Flower shield. Her body transformed, doning itself in Vine Armour and becoming visible to the humans. At the same time, a second new being appeared. He wore sunglasses on his sharp, pointed nose and sported a mohawk of sorts.

Zancrow and Tempester both burst out laughing.

"A rose! We're gonna be attacked by a rose and a skinhead!" Zancrow cackled.

Mest had already ushered Kinana downstairs. He stared from the staircase, leaving his cell phone on speakerphone so the police dispatch could hear every word. Romeo and Jet were frozen to their spots, eyes wide with fear. Tempester threw debris from the busted iron cells, blocking their escape route to the stairs and cutting Mest and Kinana off from the rest of the humans.

"The Angel intervenes!" he taunted, turning back to Michelle.

Racer bellowed to Michelle, "We've got to get the humans out of here!"

"I will take care of these goons if you get started on that," Michelle agreed.

Racer zipped in front of Tempester, placing an explosion lacrima on his back.

Zancrow moved forward, pushing Michelle back as she stared at him.

"You killed them," she bellowed, pushing back against Zancrow. She summoned her Rose Sword, slicing through the air with precision. Unfortunately, Zancrow's movements were precise as well and he dodged all of her attacks, "All the murder victims – it was you!"

"I can't take all the credit!" Zancrow hissed, turning up the heat on his ignited scythe so that it fully engulfed both of them, "Tempester did half the work."

The humans stood motionless, completely shocked at the scene in front of them. They had no idea who these people were or where they'd come from suddenly. The scythe and the sword clashed, sending out sparks.

Dan was frozen to his spot against the wall metres from the other humans, paralyzed with fear. Jackal was trying to get up, his broken arm causing massive amounts of pain. The remnants of the jail cells lay all over the floor.

Racer grabbed Aries' arms as they headed for the staircase, jumping over various bits of debris. Tempester realized they were trying to leave. He appeared in front of the doors, blocking any hope of removing the barriers and escaping down the stairs.

Dan cried out as Tempester glanced at him momentarily. He stood up, shaking as he spread his arms wide, "Okay…I'm ready."

"Don't worry, Loser…" Tempester spat, "We don't want you."

Dan sighed in relief at first, then realized he was actually very offended by that.

"Hold up!" he demanded, standing up, "What do you mean you don't _want_ me?"

Tempester cackled, turning away from Dan, "Exactly what I said. We need Jackal, not you."

Tempester stalked back into the chaos that Michelle was causing with Zancrow, following Racer with his eyes as he slapped a lacrima onto Zancrow's back.

Dan scoffed, staring with wide eyes.

Tempester caught Racer by the arm on one of his passes, smashing him into the wall.

"Explosive lacrimas? Really?" he bellowed.

Racer groaned, forcing himself back to his feet. Romeo and Jet scrambled to move the debris from the staircase doors, both finding the gigantic pieces of iron and reinforced metal almost impossible to move.

"Just die already!" Zancrow roared, slicing Michelle with his blazing scythe. Michelle staggered, watching the blood pour from the wound that had almost sliced her torso in half. Blood splayed across the floor as she locked eyes with Racer, then fell to the ground.

Zancrow turned, narrowing his sights on Jackal.

"This is taking too long!" Tempester warned him.

Zancrow nodded, "Fire Demon's Explosive Flame!"

A wall of exploding fire careened across the entire room, tearing the entire room apart.

Jet pushed one final time, releasing the doorway that had been blocked.

The entire room was suddenly completely still. Romeo grunted, trying to move, but the pain in his body prevented him from doing little more than lift his head. The bodies of Jet, Loke and Aries lay in various positions, sprawled out over the floor. The smell of blood permeated his nose as he watched it crawl across the floor from their bodies. Racer still had a lacrima in his hand, beeping incessantly, but he wasn't moving. Several feet away, Michelle's eyes were still open. He couldn't see Dan at all.

And Tempester, Zancrow and Jackal were gone.

* * *

Lucy lay on Natsu's chest, their legs intertwined. They stroked each other's skin lazily, pausing once in awhile to exchange long, gentle kisses.

"I love you," Natsu whispered, kissing the top of her head, "but we should probably try to sleep a bit."

Lucy sighed happily, "I guess so, right? It'll be dawn soon."

He kissed her again, running a hand down her naked hip.

"Tell me the memory of the day…" she begged.

"Isn't that supposed to be done first thing in the morning?" he teased.

"I just want the normalcy," she nipped at his pectoral, making him laugh out loud.

"You're a little vixen!"

He rolled them over so that he caged her with his arms, kissing her passionately.

"Happy Anniversary," he murmured against her lips. He was feeling the heat again. He cupped her breast, sucking it lightly.

"What Anniversary is it today?" she moaned, arching her back to give him better access.

His fingers traveled south, convinced they were about to have a second round of lovemaking. He circled her clit slowly, his lips traveling upward.

"It was 17 years ago today," he said softly, nibbling behind her neck, "that we had our first date."

She nodded, reminiscing in her head as she kneaded his shoulders with her hands.

"We started with a swim," Natsu stated. He rubbed her harder, causing her to squirm underneath him.

Lucy laughed out loud, a cross between exquisite pleasure and disbelief that he could joke at a time like this.

 _A swim?_ That was one way to put it. They'd capsized a boat and got stranded in a cove for the evening!

"Then we had a picnic in the park," Natsu continued, kissing his way down her stomach, "We played on the playground like little children."

Lucy frowned, freezing her squirming. They _did_ have a picnic in the park, but…the picnic was the second day. And she wouldn't call what happened playing exactly…

"And then we finished the day at the aquarium," Natsu kissed her thighs, slowly massaging her down her legs, "I was working triple time, trying to get you to smile…needless to say, I got you to smile."

"Natsu…" Lucy whispered, her eyebrows furrowed as she propped herself up on an elbow.

Natsu froze at the uncertainty in her voice.

"You don't remember?" he asked, pausing his ministrations.

"It's not that," she replied, scrambling to an upright position against the headboard, "It's just…the date you described…"

He groaned in frustration, "What – did I get the order wrong?"

"No…" Lucy shook her head, her eyes reflecting the conflict and confusion she felt, "Natsu...there were parts that were recognizable, but..."

"But what?" Natsu asked, propping himself up on one elbow, eyeing his wide-eyed wife.

"You've never missed a memory before," she whispered.

"What are you saying, Luce?" he demanded, his frustration beginning to get the better of him, "That I didn't tell it right?"

"No," Lucy was getting visibly upset now, "I'm saying...the date you described, the end of it…Natsu...it never happened."

* * *

 ** _A/N: I'm not sure who to give credit to for Bacchus's meme, but it cracked me up. Seriously cracked me up! Affection Erection...jeez that's gold._**

 ** _10 points to anyone who can guess the reference in Wendy and Lark's section._**

 ** _Also, if you haven't read 'Dating Oops', Natsu and Lucy's first dates are chronicled there. I'm working on a 4th chapter. :D_**

 ** _This chapter was totally fun to write (minus our final brutal murders). We're on to the next segment of the story...and imminent huge reveals of the final plot._**

 ** _Thanks as always to my loyal friend, Wordsaremyspells1331! Have you been reading her story, Finding You in Candlelight? Please check it out! lol_**

* * *

 ** _Leave a review! I love them and they keep me motivated :D_**

 ** _SNEAK PEAK:_**

 _Juvia reached for Loke's hand, squeezing it gently as she forced calmness through his body._

 _"It's going to be okay," she repeated softly, "We're here to take you Home."_


	30. Chapter 30

_**A/N: So you may have noticed I'm not updating once a week anymore. Life has sort of gotten in the way. I'm trying to keep the once every 2 weeks schedule now and I'm posting an addition to some of my smaller stories on the 'other' week. Dating Oops has attained a 4th chapter and I'm working on 'Her Side' of Buck-A-Suck.**_

 _ **Another intense chapter here for you today! Enjoy!**_

* * *

Juvia felt the tears in her eyes start to fall before she finished transporting to the Fairy Tail building. Her heart was wrenching. Only moments ago, there had been a communication from Heaven…Angels of Death were being sent to bring the souls of an attack to Heaven. Normally, this would not have been communicated to the small band of Angels dedicated to Magnolia…but Fairy Tail Heaven realized these particular deaths would affect them all personally. They'd looked after them dutifully for years. It would affect Juvia the most…and so they'd been informed to give her the option to be there.

Gray squeezed her hand as they appeared in the chaos-stricken room. Juvia stifled her tears as they surveyed the damage together. The jail cells were gone, only the bottom foundations left as remnants of the walls that used to contain Dan and Jackal. Debris from the blown cells lay across the entire floor, a large quantity piled at the door at the stairs. Blood was splattered across the walls and floors, still dripping into pools around the bodies of the victims. Michelle's body was twisted and broken in two. Her eyes were still open, but her soul was gone, severed from her consciousness forever. Racer's soul was also gone. He lay face down on the ground, his body unmoving.

"There are survivors downstairs!" an Angel yelled.

Juvia barely heard them. Erza and Jellal hurried to the stairs, leaving Gray to try to comfort a distraught Juvia. She let out an anguished cry, struggling against him as he tried to shield her from looking at the gruesome scene.

Juvia ripped away from Gray, her grief overwhelming her as she realized Loke and Aries lay together. Angels of Death were praying over them, preparing to take them to Heaven.

"Get away from them!" she screamed, her agony retching her voice as she pushed the Angels of Death away from Loke and Aries.

"Juvia…" Gray choked out. He could feel her pain. He could feel the sense of being utterly horrified, "We can't save their human bodies. They need to be taken to Heaven now…you have to let the other Angels do their jobs.

Juvia's body heaved as she lowered her eyes, trying to get herself together.

"Please let me do it," Juvia whispered, so low the Angels almost didn't hear her.

The Angels of Death exchanged looks with Gray, who nodded solemnly. They backed off, turning to tend to Racer and Michelle. Their physical bodies would also return to Heaven, even though their consciousnesses were gone. Juvia approached slowly, falling to her knees beside Loke.

Gray stooped beside her, placing a comforting hand on her back, "I can help you."

Juvia shook her head vigorously, "No…I'm okay."

She sucked in a sharp breath, willing herself to be calm, then gently nudged Loke. Nostalgic flashes of memory flitted through Gray's mind as he remembered having to take Juvia to Heaven for the first time. It had been one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. It was no easier than what Juvia had to do now...officially end the human lives of a loved one. He pushed comfort toward her, placing a reassuring hand on her back.

She turned, kissing his lips softly to thank him for his support, then turned back to her fallen friends.

"Loke…Aries…it's time to get up," Juvia said in a gentle voice as she touched each of them on their wrists, effectively awakening the souls that still dwelled within their departed human shells. Her voice was remarkably steady. Gray felt a surge of pride run through him. Juvia was – and always would be – the strongest woman he'd ever known. She hid her anxieties well for the sake of her friends.

Both Aries and Loke stirred.

"Juvia?" Loke queried, his eyes wide as he surveyed the room.

"Yeah," Juvia smiled at him as she reached for Loke's hand, squeezing it gently. She forced calmness through his body simultaneously as Gray forced calmness through hers.

"How…" Loke stared at her, "Juvia! Is it really you?"

He threw himself at her, hugging her close. Beside him, Aries watched in quiet confusion. She had always known about the woman that the Fairy Tail crew revered so much...but she'd passed away before Aries had joined them. She was every bit as beautiful as her friends had described, but not at all intimidating like Aries had always imagined her to be.

"How is this possible? We've missed you so much!" Loke exclaimed.

She smiled again, squeezing Aries' hand as well.

Aries looked around the room, the last moments of their lives replaying in her memory. She inevitably looked down, seeing her own body and Loke's broken on the floor. They were both drenched in blood, but Loke had managed to hold onto Aries' hand, even in death. Tears flooded her eyes as she realized what had happened.

"No…" she whispered, backing up against the wall.

"It's going to be okay," Gray told her, "You're safe now."

Her widened eyes matched Loke's as they noted the flurry of activity caused by other arriving Angels.

"Did we…die?" Loke stuttered, locking eyes with Juvia.

Juvia nodded solemnly.

"We're here to take you Home," she said softly.

"Home…" Loke whispered.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Gray asked, glancing at the fallen Angels.

His gut twisted. It wasn't often that Angel souls were completely severed. That was it. Michelle and Racer's existence had faded away forever and they would never get their chances to take their places in the stars. Whatever had happened there had been ruthless and brutal. Judging by the state of the jail cells, Gray already had suspicions about what had happened. He scanned the area, confirming to himself that neither Jackal nor Dan were anywhere on the floor.

"Two men," Aries stated, her voice squeaking as she relived the horror in her mind, "They had incredible…power. Those people…they tried to stop them…"

"MEST!" Loke cried out, "Where's Mest, Kinana, Romeo and Jet?"

"They're okay," Gray assured them, "They made it downstairs."

Loke and Aries grabbed each other, hugging as they both burst into tears. Juvia put an arm around both of them.

Gray stood up, skimming the room again for any signs of Dan and Jackal. There was still an Aura hazing the room. Normally, Gray couldn't see Aura, but this black Aura was painfully thick. Demonic.

On the stairs, Erza and Jellal poured comfort through a shaken up Romeo. Mest lay at the bottom of the stairs, alive, but in severe pain. Kinana was on her knees beside him, tears pouring down her face.

Emergency sirens wailed in the distance. Gray closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm his own soul before turning back to the new Angels. Juvia had helped them to their feet. He took Juvia's hand, then summoned the door that would take Loke and Aries to Heaven's Gates.

* * *

Natsu sat on the edge of the bed, his head down. Lucy wasn't there. She'd left the bed sometime during his sleep, presumably to go to the couch considering it was still barely 6 am. He had woken in a panicked sweat, reaching for her immediately. But she wasn't there…and he was struggling to calm himself on his own.

He couldn't remember the content of his nightmare…only that he was deeply confused and worried…and quite honestly, terrified. He hated this feeling of confliction. It was like a part of his memory had been blocked. He was missing bits and pieces of the night before and his consciousness was playing severe tricks on him. Moreover, the sense of dread and fear permeated him. He couldn't help but feel the terror of the last few days. It hadn't subsided with the rescue of Daisuke and Cana. No…the evil wasn't gone yet. Worse, Lucy wasn't there to help him deal with his emotions.

They'd laid awake for some time after Lucy expressed that his memory of their first date was faulty. At first, he'd adamantly protested, but after awhile, he knew she was right. Yet another source of confusion. The version that he'd told her had been so real to him. Was he losing his mind?

He thought about going to find her. Lucy had hugged him before falling asleep, assuring him that she loved him, but she was getting very worried about him. Obviously, she was extremely upset too if she wasn't in bed beside him now. He couldn't think of a time during their marriage where she had left the bed before they were both ready unless it was for work.

His torment was really getting to him. His body was shaking. Finally, he stumbled out of bed, heading for the door. He froze, staring at the handle. Lucy had left because she needed to be away from him. He closed his eyes, whispering an, "I'm sorry, Luce…I don't know what's wrong with me," before sliding back into the bed.

But he would not sleep again.

* * *

Aki crept up the stairs to the attic. It was the one place in the house that the kids seldom went. There was a lot of 'junk' from her parents' past and not much else, other than their Christmas decorations and boxes of ornaments.

She paused, looking into a full-length mirror before maneuvering past the Christmas decorations. An old bed lay on one side of the attic. More boxes lined the walls.

She sighed heavily, wondering where to start looking, then proceeded to the back end. Opening the first box, she found pictures. Hoards and hoards of pictures. She paused to look at some of them, realizing these were pictures of her mother as a child. There was a woman with her – the spitting image of her mother. At first, Aki wondered if her mother had a sister, but Lucy had never mentioned a sister before. She knew vaguely of her mother's past and concluded that this must be Lucy's mother…Layla. Layla was positively beautiful. Aki paused, noting how Lucy and Layla's smiles were so similar. She would have liked Layla, she decided.

Aki ran her finger down the side of the photo before moving to the next box. She wanted to look through those photos later, but right now, she was trying to find something else. She needed to stay on track.

The next box perplexed her. It was filled with rubber chickens. She shook her head, trying to fathom why her parents would keep an entire box of rubber chickens. That was strange…even for them. Shaking her head, she moved on.

The next box contained more pictures, this time of young Natsu and Lucy. She smiled, noting why so many people constantly told her she looked so much like her father. He was standing behind Lucy with his arms wrapped around her waist in front of a red car. His young eyes were exuberant and full of life, his pink hair wild and uncontained. Lucy pretty much looked like she did now. It occurred to her that her parents had _always_ looked as happy as they were now. The next picture was their wedding photo. Aki couldn't help but giggle at it. Lucy's dress was in complete disarray, Natsu's white tux covered in tiny paw prints. Gajeel and Levy were clearly laughing, one on each side of the couple. Sting, Yukino, Rogue, Laki, and most of the Fairy Tail crew were also in the pic, broad smiles on all their faces. She'd have to ask them about that. Obviously, something had happened.

Aki put the pictures down, moving on.

"So many good memories up here," Lucy said softly from behind her.

"Mom!" Aki exclaimed, "What are you doing up? It's so early!"

Lucy sighed, a far-off expression in her eyes, "I couldn't sleep. I heard rummaging and came to investigate."

"I couldn't sleep either," Aki admitted, "I'm worried. So much has happened over the past few days."

Lucy nodded, "I know the feeling."

"Can I go see Daisuke today?" Aki asked, immediately adding afterward, "I know I've kind of messed up. I'm sorry…but I really do need to see him."

Lucy nodded, "Yeah. We can arrange that."

Aki glanced at the boxes she hadn't been through yet, knowing she'd have to come back later, "Do you want help with breakfast?"

Lucy smiled, patting Aki's hand, "Yeah. Let's make a big breakfast. I'm sure everyone will appreciate it."

Aki followed her mother down the stairs, shutting the light off behind her.

* * *

Dan staggered from the Fairy Tail building, falling to his knees. He could hear the sirens in the distance…the Emergency vehicles were on their way. He needed to be well out of sight before they got there.

He threw up beside the dumpster in the alley, feeling weak…flustered. He had no idea how to handle what he had just witnessed. The attack had been brutal. A part of him was glad to be alive. The other part of him contorted with the world's latest rejection…not even the demons wanted him. He was outside of prison walls for the first time in 17 years, but he had nowhere to go…nobody who would be glad to see him. Yet, he also couldn't stomach the thought of returning to jail.

His thoughts turned to Lucy. She was somewhere in Magnolia. If only he could get to her…if only he could see her. She wouldn't turn him away, would she?

Dan froze as he heard hushed voices behind him. Hushed voices, but very loud scraping of metal. He turned, noting three men in black bodysuits coming out the side entrance with a rather large filing cabinet.

"We need to be _quiet!_ " one of the men hissed.

"It's so heavy!" the short man sighed, "Maaaan…if only we had one more strong set of arms."

The men froze, turning to where Dan stood.

They all locked eyes.

* * *

Wendy took another look in the mirror at her brown hair. Lark had spent the last hour, chopping her hair so it didn't flow to her knees anymore, but rather mid-back. Wendy had fought the urge to cry the entire time Lark worked on her. But the truth remained that knee-length hair was a trait that few humans and/or Angels possessed. It had to be done if she was going to expose herself to the public.

"I liked it blue and long too," Lark said, running his fingers through the back, "but it really doesn't matter. This is beautiful too. You're pretty no matter what colour or how long it is."

Wendy blushed, then placed wide-rim black glasses on her face, still willing herself not to cry.

He caught her hand, turning her so that she looked into the mirror again. He pulled her back, leaning her against his chest, then placed his chin on top of her head as he prodded her to look at herself again.

"You're beautiful," he told her, "It's just hair. It'll grow back."

Wendy relaxed against his chest as she stared at the reflection. She couldn't hold back the two tears that rolled down her cheek. She didn't recognize that person, especially sporting the brown wig and glasses. As an Angel, Wendy had never put a lot of value in possessions or attributes...the fact that the hair cut upset her was surprising.

Wendy sniffed, then nodded curtly, breaking away from him to grab a jacket. She chastised herself for being so emotional over this. It was silly, really. Pride was not something she prioritized. She harboured no attachment to any of her physical features...or so she'd thought. Somehow cutting a foot and a half of her hair had been horribly upsetting. She couldn't rationalize it to herself at all... _it was_ _just hair_.

Wendy had gone to the drug store first thing that morning and managed to buy a wig that might disguise her a bit. They had decided between the two of them that the best course of action was to allow her to do their shopping for them, since the demons wouldn't be looking for her. Lark needed to remain hidden and disguises would be fruitless for him anyway since the demons could detect his Aura.

"Stay in Conceal!" Wendy warned, a finger in Lark's face. She pushed the last of her anxiety away, forcing herself to keep to the task at hand.

He nodded, putting two fingers up as a Boy Scout's salute to promise that he would do as he was told.

"We'll find pajamas and a change or two of clothes," she replied, "Then come straight back here."

Now Lark sighed heavily. It was unlikely they'd be going back to Magnolia today, so what was the hurry? He wanted to explore Onibus a bit. Wendy, however, had been strongly opposed to that plan. She was insistent that Lark needed to remain hidden. Lark was insistent that he wouldn't allow her to go alone. This was the compromise.

The sun was bright and cheerful. Lark skipped alongside Wendy, occasionally brushing up against a confused human…just to keep things interesting.

"That's a good store," Lark pointed to a clothing store on the other side of the road, "Best of all, they've got a bit of everything…clothing for men _and_ women, pajamas, you name it.

Wendy nodded, crossing the street. She entered the store, sudden nervousness overtaking her. Wendy was not used to appearing in human form. She always stuck to the shadows. She was going to have to talk to humans she didn't know…and that filled her with anxiety.

"I'm right here," Lark reassured her, squeezing her shoulder.

Wendy nodded, heading to the male pajama section first.

"I really don't need pajamas," he complained, "I'm way more comfortable in my boxers."

"Well, _I'll_ be more comfortable if you're wearing something!" she muttered under her breath, "We discussed this, Lark."

He sighed, _transporting_ to a rack about 5 feet away from her, "If you _insist_ , these aren't bad."

She approached slowly, pulling the thin material from the rack. They were like boxer briefs, but would go down to his ankles. The tag said they were 'long johns'. Wendy still blushed. 'Long johns' or not, Lark was essentially going to stay in his underwear while sleeping with her. She searched for a gray t-shirt to go with it.

"Is this good?" Wendy asked, holding it out to him.

"I need the size up," Lark told her, "My shoulders are too broad for that."

A couple of women passing by stopped to stare, wondering about the young girl who was talking to herself.

Wendy flushed, quickly tossing the items into the cart before stalking off.

Lark sighed. If it were up to him, he'd rather not wear the t-shirt either, but Wendy was very inexperienced with being so close to anyone other than her Angel team. He would make the effort to make her as comfortable as possible.

"Now let's find you a couple shirts and some jeans," Wendy murmured, "I don't know what size you'll need."

She started flipping through the rack, screaming out loud as he appeared in front of her, inside the rack.

"Idiot!" she hissed, "You can't come out of conceal!"

"For the love of everything holy – please don't make me wear this style," Lark told her, "I know I'm the devil's son and whatnot, but I still have _some_ pride."

He disappeared again, Wendy sighing heavily as she noted the other people in the store staring at her. One woman glared at Wendy, then moved away. It seemed she'd also gained the attention of one of the store clerks because she was clearly taking stock of what Wendy had in the cart.

She waved meekly, then continued to the rack that Lark clanged lightly to get her attention. Once she was in front of it, he parted the clothes to the pair of jeans he liked.

She sighed, making note of the size and style and grabbed two more similar pairs. Fortunately, he was much less picky with his t-shirts and she grabbed two with no problem.

"What about you?" Lark asked as she started for the counter.

"I'm really embarrassed right now. Thanks to you, everyone in the store thinks I talk to myself. We'll worry about me later," Wendy hissed back.

"It's fine!" Lark insisted, "Let's go to the women's side."

Wendy sighed again, but followed invisible Lark to the women's pajamas. She selected an ankle length nightgown…one that would fully cover her from shoulder to toes.

"What – are you 90?" Lark scoffed.

Wendy wanted to ignore him, but he appeared in the centre rack again, "Seriously Wendy…we need to work on your sense of style. Get something a teenager would wear!"

She started to shake her head as he disappeared again, reappearing at another rack. Wendy was getting really irritated. She really hoped he was able to maintain his _Conceal._

"Such a brat," she muttered.

A woman next to her widened her eyes, then ushered her child away. Wendy sighed as the woman glared at her, fully insulted that a strange woman would call her daughter names.

Lark was pointing out a short set. The shorts would come to her knees and there was a t-shirt that went with it…perfectly modest, but even Wendy had to admit it might look a little fashionably younger than the pajamas she'd picked out for herself…not that anyone other than Lark would ever see her wear them.

She could feel Lark beaming as she took the short set off the rack, setting the nightgown back where she found it. He flitted ahead to a rack of jeans with purposeful holes in the knees and legs. Wendy shook her head, really not understanding why those would be in style, but grabbed a pair her size anyway.

"These are stupid," she muttered to Lark, "Why would anyone purposely buy jeans that already have holes in them?"

"They're cool!" Lark protested, "The holes look awesome. It adds...sex appeal."

"Sex appeal," Wendy murmured, going to put the jeans back, "What the hell do I need sex appeal for?"

Lark reached out a hand from inside the rack, stilling her hand, "Just get them, k? As a favour to me?"

"Are you saying I have no sex appeal?" she demanded.

He offered her a smile that threatened to melt her where she stood.

"Not at all," he denied, "I'm saying I think these would look really good on you."

She sighed heavily, but placed the jeans in her shopping cart. Lark was grinning entirely too widely, adding to her frustration.

After a few minutes, she had picked out a few shirts as well, only actually adding them to her pile once she had the Lark Seal of Approval.

The lady at the counter eyed her as she laid her purchases by the till, looking deep into her eyes. Wendy knew she was probably checking to see if she was high on drugs, but at the moment, she just wanted to get out of there. She fumbled in her pocket, laying out the money for their purchase and hurried out of the shop.

"I can carry the bags for you," Lark offered.

"You need to stay hidden," Wendy reminded him, "The sooner we're off the street again, the better."

"But human tradition dictates we need to eat now!" Lark exclaimed.

Wendy furrowed her brow, "Somehow, I doubt that."

"Okay fine… _I'm_ hungry," Lark admitted, "I know you say Angels don't need to eat, but my body doesn't know that yet. I've only been an Angel for 24 hours!"

Wendy giggled, giving in to the pitiful look on Lark's face...then the stomach growl, "Okay. Let's find something and bring it back to the hotel room. What do you want?"

Lark glanced around the street, spying a Five Guys. His face lit up and he grabbed her wrist, leading her across the road. He completely forgot that to the average human, she looked like she was running with her hand outstretched in front of her. She was getting looks again. Her face went bright red, but Lark was on a mission and was seemingly oblivious.

She joined the line, looking up at the menu board.

Lark crunched on some peanuts beside her. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized the peanut shells were visibly being lifted.

"Put those down!" she hissed.

Lark harrumphed, sticking a couple handfuls in his jean pockets for later.

"May I help you?" the woman at the counter asked.

"Um…yes," Wendy said slowly.

"Tell her I want a bacon burger," Lark whispered, "All the toppings."

"I'll have a bacon burger please," Wendy repeated, "All the toppings."

"And a large Cajun style French fries," Lark added.

"And a large Cajun style French fries," Wendy repeated as an afterthought.

The woman punched them into the till, hitting the total button.

"That'll be…"

"Also a milkshake!" Lark spoke overtop of her, "Tell her I want salted caramel. Don't forget the whipped cream!"

"And a salted caramel milkshake," Wendy could feel her face tinging with red, "with whipped cream."

The woman looked up for a moment at the tiny girl in front of her, but punched the addition into the till.

"And two bacon cheese dogs!" Lark grinned, "It's been a million years since I've had those! With onions!"

"Two bacon cheese dogs," Wendy repeated. She wanted to hide, "With onions."

The rest of the line up was listening now, shocked at the tiny girl's large order.

"Is…that all now?" the woman asked slowly.

Wendy paused, waiting for the interruption that would tell her there was more.

"I think that's all," she said, drooping her head as she reached for her wad of cash.

"Hamburger!" Lark remarked.

"What do you need a hamburger for, you pig?!" Wendy demanded out loud, "You've got enough there for three meals!"

The entire room went quiet. Wendy wasn't sure how much redder she could get.

"And one hamburger please…all the toppings."

* * *

Natsu entered the kitchen cautiously, catching his wife's eyes as she laid a heaping stack of pancakes on the table. Aki was just finishing setting the table. Haru was laying out syrup, butter, and whipped cream while Hansuke was de-greasing the bacon so it could be added to the table.

Lucy came forward until she was about a foot from Natsu, their eyes still locked.

"Good morning," she greeted.

He tried to smile, failing miserably, "Good morning."

She reached for him, resolving every morning should start with a hug as it always had, no matter how much confusion existed. Brielle beat her to Natsu, throwing herself in his arms.

"Hi Daddy! I made the sausages all by myself!"

He laughed, "Well, I'll be sure to have at least a dozen then!"

Lucy watched placidly as he shifted Brielle in his arms, then opened his free arm. She went to him, burying her nose in his collar bone.

Brielle struggled to get down, scrambling to get to her seat before the boys got there. As the youngest, sometimes she had to aggressively fight for her share of the food. Natsu and Lucy had given her permission long ago to fill her plate first. It was the only way they could guarantee the survival of their youngest once the rest of the wolves sat to eat.

"Please don't be mad," Natsu whispered, now fully hugging his wife.

"I was never mad," Lucy told him, "I'm confused. A lot has happened and…you're acting very strangely."

"I know," he murmured, "I can't even explain it to myself."

She nodded, lifting her head to kiss his lips, "Whatever is going on…we'll get through it together."

Natsu felt his spirits soar at that declaration. No matter how confusing his life got, as long as Lucy was by his side, he could get through anything.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she ventured to say, but was interrupted when Connor cleared his throat.

"Ummm… _breakfast_?"

Seven pairs of eyes stared at their parents. Natsu and Lucy both started laughing, breaking apart to go the table.

Lucy's eyes fell to the empty 8th chair. She felt anxious whispering in her mind…like she wanted to ask a question, but for the life of her, she couldn't place what it was she wanted to ask about. Natsu was staring at the 8th chair too as he reached to grab some of Brielle's sausages.

"Haru!" Mieske yelled, "You can't have 6 pieces of bacon!"

"Why not?" Haru sneered, "You've got 4 pancakes!"

Both Natsu and Lucy shook themselves from their reveries, returning to the antics of their 7 wild children.

Lucy frowned, watching Natsu join in with the kids. Why did that sound wrong?

 _Seven..._

* * *

Sting slammed a fist against the wall, fighting the urge to hurl into the nearest waste basket. The ambulance crews were in the process of putting Mest and Kinana on stretchers to be transported to the hospital. A coroner's crew was investigated the room upstairs.

"It's my fault," Sting choked out, "I sent almost everyone home."

"Everyone was exhausted," Rogue pointed out, "How were we supposed to know Fairy Tail would be attacked last night of all nights?"

"Demons," Sting agreed, "They knew we'd all be exhausted and took advantage of that."

Rogue grabbed the arm of a passing officer, "Where are Jet and Romeo?"

"Jet's on his way to the hospital," the officer told him, "Romeo's fine…just shaken up."

Sting and Rogue immediately took off in the direction the officer pointed, finding Romeo inside the Fairy Tail restaurant. He sat at the bar, pouring himself straight rum shots.

"What happened?" Sting asked blankly, joining him. Rogue took the stool on the other side.

"We never stood a chance," Romeo replied, "Our weapons were useless against them."

He paused, looking at both officers before glancing back down to his hands.

"I know there are Angels protecting us and I know you both know about them," he stated. His voice was flat, completely devoid of emotion, "So I can tell you that the Angels tried to protect us. They're both dead."

Panic struck both Sting and Rogue. Sting left the stool immediately to find a private place to dial Jellal's number.

"How do you know about Angels?" Rogue frowned, helping himself to a shot glass.

"We were attacked by demons," Romeo narrowed his eyes, his contempt shooting through his eyes, "Wouldn't you assume the beings that suddenly appeared out of nowhere to protect the humans were Angels too? Jackal died. Loke and Aries…they're dead too. So my question is…where in the hell were you?"

Guilt spread through Rogue's body. Romeo was seemingly unharmed, but he was beyond angry…and honestly, Rogue couldn't blame him. It occurred to him that it _was_ odd that Kinana and Mest were both traumatized, still shaking when they were found, yet Romeo was ticked off. Of course, Romeo had been through a lot in the past couple days. He had every right to be upset and angry.

"Are you okay, Romeo?" Rogue asked, placing a concerned hand on his friend's forearm.

"Should I be?" Romeo practically shouted, "Fuck, Rogue! I just watched Loke and Aries get slaughtered right in front of me! How _should_ I feel?"

Rogue swallowed as Romeo left the bar, shooting Rogue one last glare before disappearing out the Fairy Tail doors.

"Jellal says the two Angels that were killed…were not any of our friends," Sting informed him as he sat back down, also watching Romeo leave, "But Juvia and Gray have taken Loke and Aries to Heaven. The Angels are as grief-stricken as we are."

Rogue nodded blankly, staring straight ahead. He downed another shot of rum.

"Dan and Jackal are missing," Sting stated, "They weren't amongst the bodies."

"Shit, this keeps getting better and better," Rogue muttered, "because we also need to meet with our families and clue them in on the real situation with Lark yet."

Sting nodded solemnly, thinking about Yukino and what she'd said the night before. Sting could have been on guard duty when the attack happened. Instead, they'd both lost valued colleagues…people that had been part of their everyday work-lives now for almost 20 years.

Rogue was thinking about Laki's reaction to what had happened here too. It was overwhelming. Their families were being attacked, kidnapped, and now killed…and they didn't have any understanding of _why._

* * *

"Any ideas on how to find Lark and Wendy?" Erza asked, pain etching through her heart as she watched Lucy's confused face.

Makarov shook his head, "Lyon is trying to track them…but they disappeared. For now, we have to trust that they're safe. We'll need to deal with this new problem at Fairy Tail."

Erza nodded, feeling sick at the news. It was another thing Lucy wouldn't take well. Perhaps what was scarier was that two Angels had had their existences erased. It was a hard reality. Things were getting worse instead of better now that the missing humans had been found.

Jellal materialized beside them, his face grim. Both Erza and Makarov watched him expectantly for news of the situation.

"It looks like Dan and Jackal are both missing," he stated, barely feeling Erza reach for his hand, "Erik and Minerva are trying to console Mest and Kinana. Jet is going to the hospital with undetermined injuries. But Romeo…we're going to need to assign an Angel to him. He's a mess."

Makarov nodded, wondering if Mirajane would be ready to leave Laxus's side now that he seemed to be on the mend.

"What about the debriefing meeting?" Erza asked, still watching Lucy. She was picking at her pancakes, but had barely eaten a bite. Across the table, Natsu hadn't eaten much either. He was trying to be actively engaged in his children's conversation. They were all upbeat today, perceiving that the danger had now passed since Daisuke and Cana had been brought home. Happy and Carla weaved between their legs.

"It has to wait," Makarov told her, "First, we need to help deal with Fairy Tail. The other employees will be distraught. And Juvia…I'm not sure she's going to be okay either."

Jellal felt Erza squeeze his hand this time. He squeezed back, then intertwined their fingers.

* * *

"So greasy," Wendy frowned as she watched Lark chow down on the fast food they'd brought back to their hotel room. She'd been quick to shed the wig and very happy to be concealed again from the humans.

"It's so good!" Lark rolled his eyes back, taking another bite of his bacon burger. He pushed the other burger closer to her, "You should eat too."

"Angels don't need to eat," she denied, pushing it back toward him.

" _Angels_ don't know what they're missing," Lark claimed, pushing it back toward her.

She frowned, glancing at the wrapped sandwich.

"At least try a fry," he suggested, putting his Cajun fries in front of her. He smiled, flashing her his best smile...the one that _usually_ got him what he wanted.

She sighed, reaching for a fry.

Lark grinned, pushing the ketchup toward her as well. She dipped the fry into it, watching Lark's expectant smile as she raised it to her mouth.

"You're doing it wrong," he told her, reaching for a fry.

She paused, watching him for the explanation.

He dipped his fry in the ketchup, then dotted her nose with it, "Cajun fries can be spicy…a little ketchup on the nose will lessen the affects."

She cocked her head, trying to keep from smiling.

"Yours rubbed off," she told him, dipping her fry. She dotted his nose with ketchup too.

Lark blinked, a little surprised that she'd caught on to his antics so early. He was pretty sure he'd be able to dot both cheeks before she caught on.

Wendy giggled, putting the fry into her mouth. She coughed, covering her mouth immediately as Lark visibly watched steam start to pour from her ears. He handed her his milkshake, patting her back reassuringly as she drained the entire thing.

"What was that?" she demanded, "Are you trying to kill me?"

"I _told_ you it was spicy!" Lark couldn't help but laugh, "But I forgot you're new to the food thing…I should have ordered regular fries. Try the burger."

She eyed him suspiciously, "Thanks…I'll pass."

Lark unwrapped the burger for her, lifting the bun so she could see there was nothing hot inside.

"I promise…you'll like this better."

Sighing, she picked the burger up, taking a small bite. Her eyes went wide as the myriad of tastes invaded her mouth.

"Good, right?" Lark asked, a gentle smile on his face.

She nodded, taking another bite as she grinned mischievously at the boy beside her, "The shake wasn't bad either."

Lark grabbed for the shake cup, ripping the lid off when he noted how light the cup was. He gawked at her in shock.

"You drank it all!" Lark laughed, shaking an accusing finger at her, "The shake is one of my favourite parts!"

She grinned, wiping the ketchup off her nose…but only once she'd finished her burger.

* * *

Lucy pulled up to the hospital, putting the car in park. Her cell phone was vibrating, but she wanted to make her rules perfectly clear before allowing Aki to go in.

"You have 20 minutes," she told Aki sternly, "Daisuke is still very tired, so you can't stay long."

Aki nodded, her hand on the door handle, "You're not coming with me?"

Lucy shook her head, wondering why her cell phone was still vibrating, "I'm going to talk to the ward nurse and find out what's going on with the officers from last night. I know your dad will feel more at ease if he knows everyone is doing okay. I'm sure Sting and Yukino are already here. Rogue and Laki probably are too, but I'm sure they'll give you some time with Daisuke."

Aki nodded again, following her mother through the main doors.

* * *

The Emergency Room was decidedly quieter today, but there were still people rushing everywhere. Aki bade goodbye to her mother after getting Daisuke's location from the ward clerk, heading for the elevator.

Lucy frowned, the churning in her stomach increasing again. Something didn't feel right. Remembering her cell phone, she reached into her purse.

Before she even had a chance to turn it on, the Emergency doors opened and a stretcher was brought in – quickly. Behind them, a second stretcher followed. She stared at them as they rolled passed her as though it was slow motion. She felt her chest tighten as she realized Mest and Kinana lay on the stretchers, unmoving. Suddenly, she couldn't breathe.

"Ma'am?" the ward clerk asked, watching her face lose all its colour, "Ma'am, are you okay?"

Lucy felt her knees buckle as she tried to run to the stretchers.

"Ma'am!" the ward clerk grabbed her elbow, "Please – let's get you somewhere you can sit!"

"What happened to them?" Lucy squeaked out, her arms still outstretched as the stretchers disappeared.

The ward clerk kneeled so that they were eye level, but Lucy started to hyperventilate. Two more stretchers were coming through the doors of the Emergency Department…

…but these ones contained body bags.

* * *

Aki opened the door to Daisuke's room slowly. His mother and Megumi were by his bed, as expected. She greeted Aki with a warm smile.

"How's he doing today?" Aki asked, approaching the chair on the opposite side of the bed.

"He's Daisuke," Megumi shrugged, "He'll be fine…but he sure sleeps a lot."

Aki managed a small giggle.

"We'll give you a few minutes," Laki told her, removing Megumi from her lap, "I'm sure Meg here is more than ready to go for a little walk!"

Megumi shrugged, "I'm indifferent. I've seen that he's okay now."

Aki exchanged smiles with Laki again, both of them wishing they could shed their anxieties as easily as Megumi and the other Dragneel children seemed to be able to.

The door closed behind them. Aki approached slowly, horrified at the multiple bruises all over his body. He had taken a severe beating.

He didn't need her emotion. She willed the tears back, reaching for his hand as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Daisuke's good eye was barely open, the other bandaged shut. She ran a hand over the bandage of his arm.

"Aki," he whispered.

"Hey," she greeted, noting his bound ribs, "You look like shit."

"I've felt better," Daisuke admitted, squeezing her hand, "But mostly, I'm tired…so tired."

They stared at each other. Aki was really fighting to keep her tears back, finally moving her gaze to the corner of the room.

"I really missed you," she blurted out, "I was so scared for you!"

He pulled her down for a hug with surprising strength, tightening his arms around her. They rested together, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

"I had a lot of thinking time while I was…gone," Daisuke whispered into her hair, "I'm really glad you came. I missed you."

Aki nodded, but said nothing at first. He took a deep breath. She shifted, realizing she was putting too much weight on his ribs. She eased off him, trying to offer him a smile.

"The same goes for you," she whispered, "They wouldn't let me see you last night. I couldn't sleep at all."

"I slept," Daisuke admitted, "but that could be due to the morphine they've been pumping into me."

Aki giggled, noting the different IV poles. He had a lot of fluids being pumped into him.

Daisuke stroked her hair, taking long, painful breaths.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" she asked in alarm, "Should I go ask someone to bring you some pain meds?"

He shook his head, "I'm okay. Just…stay here."

She adjusted her position on the bed, trying to pinpoint how to hug him without hurting him.

"Sora should be here soon too," he told her, "It took her awhile to convince Levy though."

"You've already talked to Sora?" Aki asked.

"She called my mother's cell this morning," Daisuke acknowledged, "She was worried."

"How is she?" Aki asked awkwardly. This morning, getting to Daisuke had been the only thing Aki could think about. Now, she couldn't think of a single interesting topic of conversation. As much as she loved Sora, Aki craved a deeper conversation with Daisuke...not one that involved their blue-headed friend.

"She's okay. She said she and her parents had a really long talk last night. Things will be confusing for a while, but she's getting more used to the idea," Daisuke took another pained breath. It seemed like all his bruises and abrasions had realized they really hurt now that the adrenaline of being kidnapped had disappeared. The pain level was intolerable.

Aki wasn't sure what he meant by his previous statement, but Daisuke's breathing really bothered her. He was in obvious pain.

"I'm really worried about you," Aki interrupted, "I really think I should go find a nurse."

She tried to pull away, but Daisuke held her in position, "Please don't go."

Aki laid back into his arms again reluctantly. He took another shaky breath, like he was trying to find words. She didn't like how he couldn't keep to one subject, an obvious sign of being hit in the head.

"The demons told us you were dead," Daisuke told her.

She shuddered, thinking about how that could have been true if Makarov hadn't intervened. She hadn't told anyone about the fire. Somehow, she didn't find it that surprising that the demons would use the experience to intimidate Daisuke and Cana.

"I…couldn't handle the thought, Aki," he continued, his voice slightly shaky, "There was so much going on…I couldn't get you out of my mind. I couldn't stand the thought…that I might never see you again."

Aki tried to lift her head, but he held her securely against his good side.

"I thought about you constantly…" he continued, "…about things I'd say to you if I had the chance. Things I _should_ have said to you and didn't. I don't know if you understand how important you are to me, Aki."

He paused again, hearing her muffled sob. She'd warned him before about playing with her emotions. The relief at seeing Sora at the rescue and knowing she'd be there later this morning had been immense, but it didn't compare to how he felt when Aki opened that door…especially after believing she was dead for a time.

Aki lifted her head, placing her lips loosely over his as she cupped his cheeks with her hands. Daisuke froze in shock, completely unable to react. He could feel her tears dripping onto his cheeks. She released him, removing herself from his embrace, but she held onto his hand until she'd backed away enough that it dropped to the bed.

"We don't have to talk about this now," she told him, "Right now…you need to concentrate on getting out of here. I'm going to find a nurse."

Daisuke was still dazed, settling back into his pillows. She maintained eye contact with him until she'd backed to the door.

"I missed you too, Dai," she said as she opened the door, "I have never felt more anguish than when I had to walk away from that cabin, knowing you were in there. Romeo was livid because he practically had to drag me away."

"You were there?" he queried.

"Yeah," she said softly, "But the Angels wouldn't let me stay."

Unspoken realizations passed between them as their eyes locked. Daisuke and Aki both knew Angels had been present. They both knew they owed their lives to them.

"Sora's parents..." Daisuke murmured, realizing Aki wouldn't know yet, "They're Angels too."

Aki's mouth dropped open, "That's what you meant earlier..."

Daisuke nodded, "She's pretty confused."

"That confuses me too," Aki agreed, "We've known Gajeel and Levy Redfox our entire lives…how can that be true?"

Daisuke's eyes were beginning to close. His fatigue was catching up with him again.

They locked eyes again, Aki offering a small smile before slipping outside.

"I'll be back with a nurse," she promised.

Daisuke closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the events of the past few days. Aki's kiss had his mind reeling even more. He couldn't keep his thoughts straight, all of them bombarding him at once. He worried for the officers he knew had been injured during the confrontation. He worried for Sora, dealing with her new reality of having Angel parents. And then there was Lark. His heart was sick with the knowledge that Lark was still out there somewhere, being chased by demons that wanted to kill him. He was one of the few humans who _hadn't_ had his mind clouded from thinking about it.

Daisuke didn't hear Aki and the nurse return, the nurse hurrying to check him over when they saw that he had clearly passed out. Aki stood by the door as the nurse administered some pain medication and then checked his vitals.

"He's okay," the nurse assured her, "He's been through a lot...it's going to take time for him to recover."

Aki nodded, noting his pale face. The nurse checked his side, frowning.

"I think you should let him sleep," she told Aki.

Aki nodded again, backing out to the hallway. She slid down the wall, finally allowing her tears to fall.

* * *

At first, Mavis struggled. She threw her meager strength at Zeref, pounding him with her tiny fists as he undid her bindings. Her eyes shot knives at him as she screamed her defiance.

Zeref was completely unaffected by her tantrum. He shook his head, merely reaching for her hand. He was hoping she'd go willingly with him.

"That's so unnecessary, Mavis," he stated flatly, "I have been neither cruel nor aggressive to you. Besides, there's nowhere for you to run. Please come with me quietly."

"Neither cruel nor aggressive?" she spat, yanking her hand from him, "You're holding me against my will and restraining me with chains to a wall…how is that neither cruel nor aggressive?"

Zeref contemplated her words, nodding to her, "You won't always be here against your will. I'm sure soon, you'll accept that everything happens for a reason. We'll be happy again."

He noticed the defiance in her eyes as she growled lowly, "I will never be here willingly."

Sighing, he offered her a smile, "Very well, then. As a gesture of my good faith, I won't restrain you anymore so long as you're by my side at all times."

He watched her face, holding its defiance even though she knew that escape was futile. There was nowhere for her to go. She had no Angelic power left. She glanced down at the anklet. It had been placed there while she slept. It was true that when she'd first arrived, she'd been cut off from Heaven's power because of how weak she was. Now, it seemed Zeref considered her at least enough of a threat to place a binding spell on her, keeping any Heavenly Aura that could possibly get to her at bay.

She threw him a look of utter contempt, "You'll be sick of me in no time."

Zeref laughed, the booming sound echoing throughout the small cavern walls.

"Oh no, my dear Mavis! Perhaps you don't remember…" his eyes narrowed as he locked eyes with her.

He pressed his body up against hers, ghosting his lips over her cheek. Mavis involuntarily shuddered, trying to push him away. He stood his ground.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time," he whispered in her eye, wrapping his arms around her lower back so that she couldn't back away, "Very soon, it will be all be in place. You and I and our child. We will rule the universe, erasing the barriers of Heaven, Hell, and Earthland for eternity. So you see, Mavis, my plans with you are not short term at all. You and I…we're a family… I will never tire of you."

He licked her ear, squeezing her body to him. Mavis's struggling did nothing to deter him. He laughed suddenly, releasing her, then offered his hand again.

"Come. I have something you need to see."

She refused to take his hand, staring at it for several moments.

"Very well," he sighed, retreating his hand, "but you _are_ following me."

Mavis cried out as her body involuntarily started to follow Zeref out of the room. The second they exited, Mavis's ears shook with the overwhelming cries of Hell. She'd forgotten the horror of it and while her room was far from pleasant, at least she didn't have to hear the cries of the long-dead, forced into eternal torture for their past lives.

"Are you sure you don't want my hand?" Zeref smirked, noting Mavis scoot just a _little_ closer to him when they passed the cell of a man was seemingly boiling alive. His skin festered over and over again. His screams were gurgled and pained. Blood seeped down the walls. Mavis's stomach lurched.

Mavis backed off again, keeping her eyes to her feet. The ground view wasn't much better. Insects, snakes, and other creepy crawlies were everywhere. She choked back a tear, not wanting to admit to Zeref that the horrors of Hell were scaring her.

"Here it is," Zeref told her, guiding her into a large cavern. He grinned widely, watching as Mavis took a few steps into the cavern on her own, her eyes wide with despair.

There were chambers…so many more chambers than she remembered seeing the last time she was in Hell. The last time, there'd only been one or two lit chambers…this time, they were all lit.

"Come and see!" Zeref laughed gleefully, "Mavis, you'll be so impressed with the strides I've made! I can virtually reverse death now!"

An old man stood to one side of the chambers, nodding back to Zeref as Zeref waved his hand. He hit a button on a control panel, receding the metal covers of the chambers so that she could see inside them.

Mavis threw up a little in her mouth. Bodies floated inside the greenish goo within the chambers, connected to large wires that lead to an enormous tank. She couldn't look at them.

A large red-headed man approached, "Eminence, I estimate it will only be a matter of hours before the last is ready."

"Very good," Zeref nodded to him.

The red-headed man bowed to him, retreating beside the tall, old man still standing by the control panel. Mavis regarded them both, cocking her head slightly. There was something very familiar about both of them. The old man was tall, traces of red tattooing on his face. The red-headed man had a large unibrow and a trimmed moustache. He in particular spurred memories…but where had she seen him before?

"What am I looking at, Zeref?" Mavis finally spat out, "There must be a reason you chose to show me these things."

"Indeed," Zeref acknowledged, gesturing for him to follow once more, "I wanted you to be here when the next awakens."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded, chills running down to her bone.

"Jose! Are we ready?" Zeref called back.

The red-headed man nodded emphatically, pressing a few buttons on the control panel.

Fear began to run through Mavis. Her body began to shake as the chamber they stood in front of began to change from green goo to blue.

"I'm taking the etherion out of the tank," Zeref explained, his excitement gleaming in his eyes, "Next, the tank will drain."

Mavis's stomach lurched again, thoroughly sickened. She still didn't know what Zeref's end game was, but he was entirely too happy and excited by what he was showing her.

The tank drained, leaving a lone figure suspended in the tank. Zeref waved his hand, releasing the restraints, then nodded to the red-headed man and the old man. Both opened the door, releasing a hissing sound. The two men entered, picking the victim up by his arms, then pulling him out of the chamber to present to Zeref.

"Wake up," Zeref ordered, lifting the man's chin.

The man was bald. There were no abrasions on his skin other than the sharpei tattoo he adorned on his forehead. Zeref poked him lightly in the ribs before waving his hand, clothing the man in a simple shirt and slacks.

The man stirred, slowly opening his eyes to take in his surroundings.

Zeref began to laugh maniacally, spreading his arms wide as other figures emerged from the depths of the darkness surrounding them.

"Welcome back!" Zeref cackled.

"How…did I survive that?" that man asked, confused as he glanced around the laboratory.

"You didn't," the red-headed man stated, stepping forward, "You've been reborn…as my demon."

The bald man froze, his eyes widening as he recognized the tall red-headed man in front of him.

"Come now, Samuel!" the red-headed man boomed, slapping him on the back, "Haven't you anything to say to your dear old dad?"

Mavis's mouth had dropped open, her fists balled as she realized what Zeref had done. From the shadows of the volcanic room, other faces began to emerge. Her stomach lurched.

"They're all here," Zeref whispered in Mavis's ear, "When the last awakens, they'll go get the last two. Our son will be restored to his full glory...and Natsu will join us just as it was always meant to be. We can finally rule Earthland together...as one big happy family."

* * *

 _ **A/N: So? What did you think?**_

 _ **I won't be around next weekend - my daughter is going to Abbotsford for an intense training camp and I'm learning to judge. For those of you that don't know, my daughter in on a competition jump rope team. I have learned that a lot of people don't know what I mean when I say "skipping". lol**_

 _ **Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm going to try to get Buck-A-Suck: Her Side (or whatever it ends up being called) ready to post while I'm gone.**_

 _ **In the meantime, have an excellent couple weeks!**_

* * *

 _ **NEXT TIME:**_

 _"What are you doing?" Wendy demanded as Lark grabbed her hand._

 _A big, dopey grin crossed his face as he eyed the structure._

 _"You need to learn to have a little fun, Wendy," he chastised._

 _"No! No, I don't!" she protested, her eyes widening with horror as he burst into a run._


	31. Chapter 31

_**A/N: It's Oops 2's turn for an update! Enjoy!**_

* * *

Natsu paused mid-line. He was reading to Brielle when he noticed someone walking by the window out of the corner of his eye. He frowned. The police had all but dissipated with the events of the night before – what were they doing back now?

"Aimi, can you take over please?" he asked, "I'll be right back."

Aimi nodded, patting the seat next to her on the couch. Brielle scrambled off her father's lap, joining Aimi with the book of choice firmly in hand.

"What's wrong?" Haru asked, also eyeing the two cops out in the yard.

"I don't know," Natsu murmured, heading for his shoes, "I'll be back, okay?"

"Is Mom back with Aki?" Connor asked.

Natsu shook his head, "Not yet. They're visiting Daisuke, so they might be awhile."

Connor and Mieske nodded, resuming their game of Trouble on the living room floor. Hansuke paused the video on his cell phone, asking his father with his eyes if he should come too. Natsu shook his head, disappearing out the door.

"What's going on?" Natsu asked Wakaba, who was stationed outside the front door. He could see now that there were 3 police cars on the property.

"Sting and Rogue are on their way to explain," Wakaba replied, sucking deeply on his cigarette, "They should be here any minute."

Natsu frowned, noting the stares that his fellow officers were giving him.

"I think you should tell me right now," Natsu stated flatly, "My kids are inside and they're finally calming down. The renewed police presence on our property is going to alarm them."

Wakaba shook his head, crushing his cigarette under his boot, "All I can say is things are fucked up, Natsu…seriously fucked up."

Natsu watched as he lit a second cigarette. He opened his mouth to reply when his cell phone went off. He glanced at the screen, his wife's picture popping up.

"Luce," he answered.

She was sniffling loudly, " _Natsu…_ "

Natsu met Wakaba's eyes, seeing the sorrow the other man held in them. He walked away a short distance so he could hear Lucy better.

"What's wrong, babe…are you okay?"

Lucy sniffled, taking short, laboured breaths. She said something, but Natsu couldn't decipher it. Her voice was shaking and so heavy with tears, it was impossible to understand. His concern was mounting.

"Is Daisuke okay?" Natsu demanded. Yesterday, they'd been assured he would be okay, but he couldn't think of many things that would make Lucy so upset.

He received another muffled response. He wasn't going to get answers this way.

"I love you, baby...but I need help understanding…is Aki there with you? Can you pass the phone to Aki?" Natsu asked.

He heard from shuffling, then a tear-filled, " _Hello?_ "

"Aki?" Natsu asked.

" _No_ ," the voice said, " _It's Laki_."

"What's going on there, Laki?" Natsu demanded.

Just as she was starting to tell him, Sting and Rogue's squad car squealed into the driveway, lights and sirens on. They jumped out of the car, breaking into an immediate run for Natsu. Natsu narrowed his eyes, getting a little frustrated with the fact that he still knew _nothing_. Something big was happening. Something _bad_. Daisuke was likely okay because Rogue sure as hell wouldn't be here if something had happened to him. Natsu needed answers and he needed them _now._

"Laki…I'm passing you to Rogue, okay?"

Rogue heard that, grabbing the phone from a confused Natsu to talk to his wife.

"What in the hell is going on here?" Natsu yelled, physically turning Sting around as the chief barked orders to some of the officers.

He could hear Rogue trying to calm Laki down. He was pacing in circles, adding to Natsu's alarm.

"Where's Lucy?" Sting demanded, pushing past him to look in the living room window.

"She's with Laki – and Rogue just took my phone so I didn't get any details!" Natsu shouted irately, "But she's bawling! Now _what the hell_ is going on?!"

Sting took a deep breath, pacing for a moment, "There was an attack at Fairy Tail this morning, Natsu…"

"An attack…" Natsu repeated, still not understanding.

"Fairy Tail was attacked," Sting continued, "Kinana and Mest were hurt. Romeo is MIA – took off, pissed as hell. Natsu…Loke and Aries were killed…"

Natsu's eyes widened in shock, "Fuck…"

"Yeah," Sting replied solemnly.

Natsu glanced back to Rogue, who was calmly telling Laki to stay where she was. A few of the officers looked on in pity.

 _'Loke and Aries were killed...'_ Natsu thought to himself. A twinge of pain hit him. He hadn't always liked Loke, but it completely explained Lucy's pain.

 _'Fairy Tail was attacked.'_

Natsu's eyes widened, realizing his worst fear had possibly come true.

"Where are Dan and Jackal?" Natsu demanded, his voice thick with anger.

"That's what we're here to tell you," Sting said lugubriously, "Their bodies weren't found, Natsu…Jackal and Dan are missing."

Natsu felt his heart stop.

"Fuck!" Natsu cried out, spinning on his heel. He headed straight for his car.

"You're not driving yourself!" Sting shouted at Natsu, putting his body between Natsu and the car.

"Laki is with Lucy!" Rogue called to Sting, "Lucy took Aki to visit Daisuke and they saw the bodies come in on the ambulances! She's safe where she is for now."

Natsu pushed him back, determined to get to his car. He needed to get to Lucy. Sting recovered from the unexpected push, once again blocking Natsu's way.

"Get your head on straight!" Sting yelled, "It will take Dan some time to figure out where Lucy is – _if_ he's even worried about tracking her down. For all we know, he could be halfway to Crocus by now!"

"I'll kill him if he comes anywhere near Lucy!" Natsu thundered.

"He won't!" Rogue interjected. He'd hung up the phone, handing it back to Natsu, "We're not going to let him. Laki won't let her out of her sight. She's finding Aki and she'll keep them both close to her until we can get there."

Natsu's eyes were burning with rage, red glints flickering. Sting and Rogue both pushed him backward with their shoulders. Natsu continued to push forward.

"STOP NATSU!" Sting yelled, pushing Natsu to the ground, "You can't help anyone acting like this!"

Natsu took a deep breath, getting to his feet. His breathing was laboured, but he knew Sting was right.

"I'll stay with the kids," Sting promised, shoving Natsu back to the ground. He couldn't let Natsu up until he knew the red flick had gone, "Rogue will take you to the hospital…then all of you come straight back here."

Sting relaxed as Natsu nodded his understanding, the red in his eyes dulling slightly. Sting reached out his head, pulling Natsu to his feet.

"Hurry up, Rogue," Natsu muttered as he headed for Rogue's car instead.

"Did you see the red in his eyes?" Rogue asked Sting.

Sting nodded, "Yeah. Whatever that glint is, it's always right before he loses his shit."

Both men paused, remembering Natsu's rampage against the demons.

Rogue nodded his agreement, "We're going to need some Angel intervention here. The sooner we find Dan, the better."

"You'll have it," Jellal told them, popping up from the _shadows._

"I really wish there was a better way of announcing your presence rather than just randomly appearing!" Rogue chastised him.

Erik snickered, "But it's so fun!"

The field had become still, the officers and Natsu all staring at the newcomers. Natsu took a few steps closer, narrowing his eyes and he strained to listen to the conversation.

"It's time to have that meeting," Jellal told Sting and Rogue, "Bring Lucy and Laki here. Kids will be included too. It's time everyone knows what's happening."

"What about Daisuke?" Rogue interjected.

"We'll send an Angel to talk to him," Erik suggested, "He's already aware of our existence. It shouldn't shock him too badly."

Rogue nodded, "Although it won't be easy to pull Laki away from the hospital."

"No," Sting agreed, "Especially now that Fairy Tail is facing a crisis too. Dan and Jackal escaped. They're out there somewhere."

Natsu's face drained of colour, his eyes wide.

"Let's go, Dragneel," Rogue ordered, "We need to get the girls."

All the anger from a few moments ago had dissipated. Natsu followed Rogue to the car, trying to comprehend the bits and pieces he'd just heard.

"We should go with them," Jellal stated, "We need to talk to Natsu."

"The other Angels are already gathering the rest of the humans," Erik nodded.

"I'm not looking forward to this," Jellal sighed.

Erik shook his head, "Me neither."

* * *

Romeo had been to the gym. He finished his full work out, then jogged the five kilometres home, leaving his car at the station. The exercise didn't help. He was still furious…and if he was honest with himself, scared.

He opened his fridge, a little sad to see nothing new had magically appeared there. It was pretty much empty, save for last week's Chinese food. It did _not_ look appetizing.

He sighed, reaching into the cupboard, only to realize his rum bottle had run dry too. A bottle of wine sat beside it. Wine wasn't his first choice, but it would have to do.

He lumbered into the living room, horrific visions of the atrocity he'd witnessed only hours ago swarming through his head.

 _Loke and Aries are dead._

The scene was still too fresh. He really didn't want to think about it, but he also couldn't stop the questions from bombarding his brain…the largest one being _why_.

His eyes fell to the manuscript, still on the coffee table. He picked it up, throwing it over his face as he tried to relax. He wished his blood would stop boiling. He hadn't felt right since the explosion, and although he wasn't hurt physically, he was beginning to wonder if he should have stuck around to see the ambulance attendants after all.

"I don't understand," he whispered, pulling the manuscript off his eyes.

He glanced at it, swigging back some of the wine straight from the bottle.

"What's the connection?"

* * *

Lark paced the hotel room, stopping only long enough to read the same sign for the fourth time. He crossed the room again, gazing out the window.

"Lark – would you _sit down_?" Wendy hissed, "You're carving a path into the carpet!"

"I can't," Lark said nervously, thumbing through the Guest Services book, "I don't know what to do with myself. I hate being cooped up."

"Watch TV," Wendy suggested.

Lark glanced at her. She was calmly sitting on the bed, looking at a map of Fiore. She was wearing the new jeans he'd recommended to her. Even sitting on a bed, he could see how nicely they contoured around her curves. Bits of the skin of her legs were exposed through the purposeful holes that she'd thought were so pointless.

' _They have a purpose, alright,'_ he thought to himself.

"What are you doing?" he asked, trying to keep his mind out of the gutter.

"Planning out our next destination," she replied, "I don't think it's a good idea to stay in Onibus. The demons will be looking for you. We need to get further away."

"I thought the plan was to contact that Jerza guy," Lark said, "Haven't you done that yet?"

She shook her head, "It's Jellal...and I haven't decided the safest way to do that yet. Chances are, your parents are being monitored. We can't use your phone. It's probably being watched too."

Lark looked down at the ground, his face clouding over, "I hate this. I'm really worried about my family."

She tried to smile at him, but he was pacing again. Sighing, she realized she needed to take his mind off things. He needed to forget for awhile.

"Let's go practice abilities," she suggested, "We can go walk the streets…get you out of here."

Lark's eyes lit up, "Didn't you say we had to stay here?"

She shrugged, reaching for her jacket, "Yes, but you're driving me nuts."

Lark didn't have to be asked twice. He grabbed his shoes, sitting on the bed to put them on.

"Your family will be okay," Wendy told him hesitantly, "The Angels aren't going to abandon them. They'll be heavily guarded."

Lark lowered his head, his bangs covering his eyes.

"I know you're worried…" she said softly, "…but we're going to get through this."

Lark nodded, grabbing his jacket. Wendy giggled as he grabbed her shoes, bringing them to her to make her hurry up a bit. The anxiety in his eyes contradicted his attempt to make her smile. She smiled anyway, earning a bright grin from her blonde-haired friend, his anxiety slowly fading away.

* * *

Gray and Juvia held hands as the registration process finished. Juvia offered a kind smile to Loke and Aries, who were still blown away by the events of the past 24 hours.

"Orientation has been postponed," the intake Angel, Jenny, informed them, "New Angels are staying at the Intake Inn...until Heaven figures out how we're going to deal with...things. More experienced Angels are currently undergoing ability training."

She locked eyes with Gray, then Juvia, knowing they'd have some understanding of what she was talking about. Juvia looked like she was going to cry. She'd only just reunited with Loke. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to them yet. Plus, she remembered how frightened she'd been when she'd thought she'd be separated from Gray after she'd died. She didn't want Loke and Aries to feel abandoned.

Loke held Aries' hand quietly, glancing at Gray.

"We'll keep Loke and Aries with us," Gray decided, seeing the despair on Juvia's face, "We'll fill them in. This situation is near and dear to all of us."

Jenny thumbed through a guideline book in front of her, "I'm not sure that that would be permitted, Gray. New Angels aren't prepared to deal with emergencies of this magnitude...and all Orientation courses have been cancelled until -"

"I _know_ they've been cancelled," Gray interrupted, "Magnolia is destitute right now. I'm on the front lines...I KNOW. Loke and Aries' worlds just got turned upside down. _We are taking Loke and Aries with us_. If someone has a problem with that, tell them to take it to Makarov."

Juvia's face contorted from anxiety to pride. She hung on Gray's arm with a determined grin as Gray stalked through the Gates, ignoring Jenny's bewildered expression.

Loke are Aries were stunned, clinging to each other as they followed Gray and Juvia to the other side of the Gates.

"We have a residence just down the block," Juvia told the two awed Angels, "I don't imagine we'll be in Heaven very long though. We're needed back on Earthland."

Aries' mouth fell open as she noted the cloudy atmosphere and pearl-like buildings. Loke was busy gazing at the starry atmosphere above. They were getting their first looks at Heaven. Juvia remembered it well. It was hard not to be awed by the sheer magnificence of their surroundings.

The pathways were oddly vacant. Gray frowned. Never in his years there had he seen Heaven so oddly quiet. He prayed that the training would be done soon...the Magnolia Angels needed back up and there was no telling what was to come.

Gray opened the door to their humble Heavenly abode, gesturing for Loke and Aries to go in. It was unlocked since there was no need to lock things in Heaven. They entered the living room, Gray and Juvia sitting on the loveseat, Loke and Aries sitting on the couch.

"I bet you have questions," Gray stated, leaning forward in his seat, "So we're going to be brutally honest with you. Ask away."

Aries' eyes were wide. She couldn't form words, her shock still overtaking her.

Loke leaned forward in his seat, "Who attacked Fairy Tail?"

" _What_. Demons," Juvia told him point-blank, "We don't know why demons have been picking off Dan and Samuel's crew. Jackal and Dan were brought to Fairy Tail in the hopes that Angels could protect them and find out why they were being targeted."

"We don't know where either Dan or Jackal are," Gray added, "Which means our wards could be in serious trouble. We're rallying to protect Lucy and Levy in particular. The Magnolia Angels are banding together now to tell the humans what we're up against."

"Jackal's dead," Loke replied, "We watched him die. They took his body...but they didn't want Dan. They had every opportunity to kill him too."

"They made of point of telling him they didn't want him," Aries interjected loudly. Her hands covered her mouth at her boldness, "I'm sorry!"

Gray and Juvia exchanged glances. They would need to pass that tidbit of information on to the Earthland Angels as soon as possible.

"There's more," Juvia said after a moment, "The demons also, as you know, kidnapped Cana and Daisuke."

"Yeah - that was weird," Loke frowned, "What would demons want with _them_?"

"They were never after Cana or Daisuke," Gray growled in a low voice, "They were trying to draw out Larcade."

"Larcade!?" Aries blurted out, again embarrassed at her outburst, "I'm sorry - but what would they want with Lark? He's just a boy!"

"We haven't figured that out yet," Juvia told her, "All we know is that Larcade is on the run with one of our Crime Sorciere Angels, Wendy. We need to find them before the demons do. We know you're not trained...but I think this is personal for all of us. You'd probably appreciate being with us more than being stuck up in some Intake Hotel."

"You've got that right," Loke agreed. He glanced at Aries. Some of her shock was wearing off. She locked eyes with Loke, nodding curtly, "You're going to need to explain what Crime Sorciere is...but we're both behind you. Just tell us what to do."

Gray's cell phone started vibrating, blinking wildly in his hand. He glanced down at the call display.

"We need to get back to Earthland," he said, "The Angels are gathering our human counterparts. It's time that everyone knows what's going on. Fairy Tail employees will have an easier time accepting your deaths if they know that you're okay."

* * *

Sora stared at the floor, clearly uncomfortable. Toby and Yuka sat on the couch beside her, their eyes devoid of expression. Toby played with his necklace absently while Yuka simply stared at the black cat that was curled up on the top of the chair.

Cana sat in the armchair, looking at her long-time friends with wonder.

"You're Angels…" she stated, "…and that's why you could do…what you did that night."

Levy and Gajeel both nodded. Sora held a pillow on her lap, wondering how many times her parents had lied to Fairy Tail too.

"What did you do?" Cana asked in awe, "What was going on with your arms? And how were you writing in the air?"

Sora looked from Gajeel to Levy. That was one topic they hadn't discussed during last night's family bonding time.

"We have what's called _abilities_ ," Levy told her, "I have the ability to _script_ what I want into reality through the written word. Gajeel...well, he can manipulate iron and other pure metals."

"You were incredible," Yuka said under his breath, staring at Gajeel with wide eyes. He remembered how Gajeel used hammer like appendages to smash demon enemies, "Those low-level demons didn't stand a chance against you."

"Wait," Sora interrupted, "I know you two are Angels...but does that mean Lark's Dad is an Angel too? He...was covered in fire. He was shooting it from his hands."

Levy nodded, "He doesn't know it yet though, Sora. But yes. Natsu is an Angel too. Or used to be. It's complicated…but the Angels are working on a plan to tell him everything."

"Tell him everything?" Cana echoed, doubt lining her voice, "Like why demons are coming after his son?"

Levy nodded, but didn't elaborate.

Cana nodded, absorbing the information, "So…what are we up against? What really happened last night? Not the rescue...I mean why we're heading to the hospital now."

"Demons attacked Fairy Tail," Levy stated, "Dan and Jackal's bodies weren't found. But… Loke and Aries didn't make it. Kinana and Mest are in the hospital."

"Shit," Cana stood from her chair, pacing in a circle.

She paused, staring at Levy and Gajeel for a long moment.

"Why is this happening?" she asked, her voice shaking with unshed tears, "Why do they want Lark so badly? _Where is Lark_?"

Sora's ear perked up. She had been wondering that too…but for some reason, she hadn't asked about it last night during her heart-to-heart with her parents. Oddly, it was almost like she'd been purposely avoiding the thought.

"An Angel took him from the battle," Gajeel told them, "She's going to protect him."

" _Why_?" Cana asked again, her voice quivering with the anxiety she felt.

Levy shook her head, "We don't know exactly."

"We're doing everything we can," Gajeel promised her, "Right now, you and Levy should go to the hospital to meet up with Lucy and Laki. Fairy Tail should be together right now. Take them back to the Dragneel house. The Angels are going to meet with the humans. We need to band together."

Cana nodded, grabbing her purse, "Boys, stay here with Sora please. We'll be back to get you for the meeting."

Toby and Yuka exchanged glances, wondering if Sora would be okay with that. She still stared blankly at the floor.

"We love you," Gajeel told Sora, hugging her briefly. He moved aside to let Levy hug her too.

"Can't I come with you?" Sora asked Levy, "You promised I could see Daisuke today."

"Circumstances have changed," Levy told her, "You won't be in any danger if you just stay here...promise me you'll stay here."

Sora choked back a sob, but nodded.

"Are you going to the hospital too?" Sora asked Gajeel, going back for a second hug.

Gajeel shook his head, a seriousness overtaking his face, "No. But I'll be back for the meeting."

"Well, where are you going?" Sora squeaked out. She couldn't hide her worry.

"Hunting," he replied with a grunt. His eyes narrowed with determination as he stalked out the door.

* * *

The Dragneel children stared blankly at the TV. It was on, but nobody was paying attention. The tension was heavy - the loathsome feeling of being trapped and attacked back in their minds. Sting sat at the kitchen table, overlooking paperwork. He sighed, noting the children's somber looks. Natsu had taken off without saying goodbye. He looked around the room, asking for Angelic help, then sauntered into the living room, plunking himself down in the Lazy Boy. Strawberry Floofy was on top of her favourite chair, jumping down as Sting sat.

"Turn off the TV," he told Hansuke.

Hansuke did as he was told, all eyes on Sting.

"I want to commend you all for being so strong over the past few days," Sting told them, "And for not asking questions. But you need to know now. I'm going to try to fill in some of the blanks for you so you aren't blind-sided at the meeting in an hour."

"The meeting?" Connor asked in a little voice.

"Yeah," Sting said softly, patting the little boy's head, "We're going to have a big meeting. Bad things have happened and we need to decide as a group how we're going to deal with it."

"Are we going to find Lark?" Brielle asked with wide eyes.

The other children frowned, then glanced up at Sting expectantly. It was odd...it seemed like they'd all 'forgotten' their eldest brother and the fact that he hadn't been home for the past 2 days.

"Yes," Sting told her.

Carla and Happy nodded to him, encouraging him with their eyes to spit it out. Sting sighed heavily, trying to choose his words. He was struggling. Talking to people was not his forte, let alone tell a group of children about Angels and demons.

"We're Angels," Carla spoke up when Sting couldn't find words.

The children's mouths gaped open as Carla stood up on two legs, walking in front of Sting.

"Strawberry Floofy?" Aimi exclaimed.

"Okay! Which one of you taught Strawberry Floofy to walk when I wasn't looking?" Mieske demanded, glancing at his siblings.

"How are you doing that, Uncle Sting?!" Connor gasped in awe.

"It's Carla!' Carla snapped, gaining their attention, "Carla! C-A-R-L-A! CARRRRLA!"

The kids stared at her, their eyes threatening to pop out of their sockets.

Mieske slapped his own forehead, "What do you know? Auntie Levy was right after all - her name IS Carla!"

"How are you talking?" Haru demanded, "Everyone knows Angels aren't cats!"

"We're Exceeds," Happy cut in, becoming visible to his former family, "And we've been around you for years...to protect you."

The Dragneel children froze, staring at the cat they all loved and missed so much.

"I think we're hallucinating!" Hansuke whispered, fearfully glancing to his siblings.

"It's impossible," Haru whispered.

"That's really mean," Brielle started to cry, turning into Aimi's shoulder, "What a nasty trick. You should be really ashamed of yourself, Uncle Sting!"

Sting sat back in the chair, holding his hands up defensively.

"It's really me," Happy told them, his lower lip quivering. Tears started flowing from his eyes, "I've been here the whole time...watching over you."

Sting was all but forgotten as the Dragneel children began to register it was really Happy that stood before them. Aimi started to cry, Haru squeezing her hand.

Connor was the first to move, "Happy!"

He scooped the cat up into his arms, the other kids instantly gathering around him to pat Happy on the head, tears flowing freely.

Carla stood back with Sting, her arms folded.

"They'll take the news well," she said confidently, "I've not seen children as adaptable as this bunch. It won't make a difference to how they see either Lark or Natsu."

Sting lowered his eyes, watching the white Exceed who had obviously taken a shining to the Dragneel kids.

"It's not the kids I'm worried about," Sting stated quietly.

Carla brushed against his legs, purring lightly to encourage him, "I know."

* * *

Cana and Levy entered the hospital, finding a still-hysterical Lucy and somber Laki right away in the waiting room. Aki sat a few seats away, tears streaming down her face.

"This isn't going to be easy," Cana commented to Levy.

"No," Levy shook her head, "but it _is_ necessary. Lucy needs to know...so she doesn't walk into that meeting blind."

"Levy!" Lucy cried out, throwing herself in Levy's arms.

Levy embraced Lucy, stroking her hair as Lucy broke out into heavy sobbing.

"They're gone, Levy. Loke and Aries are dead! And nobody knows where Dan and Jackal are! They could be looking for us right now!" Lucy sobbed.

Levy pushed comfort through Lucy, allowing her to cry it out.

"That's not going to happen, Lu," she whispered. Levy felt another Angel nearby - likely Erza - pushing comfort through her as well. She needed it. Despite her strong words, Levy was terrified.

Cana hugged Laki, then Aki, "How's Daisuke today?"

"Better," Laki told her, "Have you heard anything about your dad?"

Cana shook her head, "I'll check on him before we leave."

"Evergreen just left," Aki piped up, "The officers are mostly stable."

Cana nodded, glancing back to Levy and Lucy. Levy had taken a chair beside Lucy, who was trying to calm down.

"I've called Virgo and Lisanna," Laki stated, "They're on their way home. Kinana and Mest are mostly in shock and should be released sometime in the next day."

"That's good," Cana sighed in relief, "Has anyone heard about the state of Fairy Tail?"

Laki shook her head, "No. But I think we have bigger problems at the moment."

"About that," Levy piped up. She released Lucy from their hug, eyeing all the girls as they turned to her, "I need to tell you all something. It's not going to be easy to hear...so I need you to keep an open mind."

Aki was staring at her with wonder, remembering what Daisuke had confided to her earlier, "Does this have to do with the fact that you're an Angel?"

The other ladies froze, staring between Levy and Aki.

"Aki," Lucy whispered, "Don't be ridiculous. This isn't the time for jokes."

"Except it's not, Mom," Aki said quietly, "Levy and Gajeel are Angels. We're surrounded by Angels. The chaos of the last few days...the Angels have been working overtime to protect us."

"How do you know?" Levy queried, staring at her.

"Daisuke told me about you," Aki replied.

"Daisuke..." Laki whispered, "Why does _he_ know about Angels?"

Aki paused, then pushed up her sleeve, revealing the tattoo Makarov had given her, "They orchestrated Daisuke and Cana's rescue. I was forced to leave...but I was escorted to safety by an Angel when we were tricked. He saved me when Sora was captured."

"You were given the mark," Levy stated.

"What does this mean?" Lucy cried out, grabbing Aki's arm to examine it, "This symbol...we all have it. It's the mark we got after the orphanage fire."

"It's the symbol of Fairy Tail," Levy provided, "It means you're under the Angels' protection."

"The Angels' protection…" Laki repeated.

"It's no accident those symbols were chosen for the tattoos after the orphanage fire," Levy told them, "And it's no accident that Fairy Tail was called Fairy Tail. Fairy Tail is a division of Heaven run by Angels...to help humans. Your work also helps people. In Heaven, we call you Fairy Tail Earthland."

"You're an Angel..." Lucy said softly, looking at her best friend. Levy couldn't read her face, but at least Lucy wasn't crying anymore, "Levy..."

Levy took her hands, squeezing them, "Yes."

"So what does that mean?" Lucy asked, pain in her face, "How, Lev?"

Levy nodded slowly, "I haven't been human for a long time, Lu...but it doesn't change who I am."

Lucy shook her head, trying to absorb the new information. It was painful. How could she not know that about her best friend?

Levy nodded, "In about 1/2 hour, there will be a meeting between Angels and humans at your house, Lucy. We're going to address a plan...to find Lark and to prepare for another attack from the demons."

Lucy hadn't wrapped her head around the fact that Gajeel and Levy were Angels yet. The mention of her son's name sent her into a new panic.

"Lark!" Lucy cried out, fresh tears coming back to her eyes. She couldn't believe that was the first time in days his name had crossed her lips.

Aki was struggling too, glancing from face to face. Cana didn't seem phased by the fact that Levy was an Angel. Laki's feelings were always hidden from her expressions, but she was taking the news well too. Hadn't it occurred to any of them that that meant some of their closest friends were already dead? After all, in order to become an Angel, you had to die...right?

"Please," Levy gestured to the chairs beside her, "Sit down. I'll tell you what I can."

"Natsu and Rogue are on their way," Laki interjected, glancing toward the door, "Do they know yet?"

"They will," Levy responded, "Angels have been dispatched to them as well. We'll get back to the Dragneel house on our own. They'll meet us there."

* * *

"C'mon, Rogue!" Natsu spat, "You're driving like an old woman!"

Rogue snorted, "Because I'm going the speed limit?"

"I need to get to Lucy!" Natsu shouted, "Dan is out there...she's going to be terrified!"

Rogue pulled the car aside. Natsu looked around him in alarm.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" he thundered, "Move this car, or get out and let me drive! I need to get to Lucy!"

Rogue took a deep breath, noting the red glint had reappeared in Natsu's eyes. He felt comfort radiate through him and closed his eyes, thanking whichever Angel was nearby.

"We're not going the hospital," Rogue told him, "There's something you need to know."

"What I KNOW," Natsu bellowed, "is that Lucy is freaking out! She _needs_ me!"

"Sit down, Natsu," a new voice said from the back seat.

Natsu whirled around, his eyes widening as he realized there were two men sitting behind him. One had dark maroon hair, the other blue hair and a red facial tattoo.

"What is this?" Natsu demanded, "Rogue...what the hell?"

"Our names are Erik and Jellal," the maroon-haired man said, "I'd say it's nice to meet you...but we've known each other for years."

"What the hell is he talking about?!" Natsu shouted, "Rogue, I need to get to the hospital!"

"We're going to meet Lucy back at the house," Rogue told him, "Please...listen to them, Natsu. This is important."

* * *

Lark was balancing along the rock retaining wall, about 5 feet above the sidewalk that Wendy walked on. He whistled to himself, jumping over a large vine that blocked his path. He lost his balance, then grinned cheekily when he caught it again.

She snickered at him, a little enamoured with how quickly his attitude changed once they weren't sitting around anymore. She liked it when he was upbeat...looking for trouble to get in, despite the fact that she knew he was pretty good at finding it.

"Are you having fun?"

Lark paused, extending his hand down off the rock wall, "Come up here with me."

"Why? What's the point of that?" Wendy wrinkled her nose.

"It's fun!" he encouraged, "Give me your hand!"

She shook her head, walking ahead slightly, "You have a weird definition of fun."

He stuck his tongue out at her as he grabbed her arm, pulling her lightly. She sighed, taking his hand and allowing him to pull her up on the rock wall.

"At least I _have_ a definition of fun," he teased, helping her stand up.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she frowned at the dig, "I know how to have fun!"

Lark turned his back to her, walking ahead. Wendy looked down at the narrow ledge, wondering how he could balance so well. She stuck out her arms for balance, taking her first very cautious steps. He turned back to her, offering his hand. She took it, hesitantly, wondering how he'd keep his balance if he was helping her keep hers. Lark turned sideways on the wall, shuffling his feet as she lead her.

"Where did you live?" Lark asked, "When you were alive, I mean?"

Wendy shook her head, "Here and there. The last place I remember was at Grandmother Grandeney's out by Crocus."

"Crocus," Lark hummed, "So did you ski? Snowboard?"

Wendy shook her head again, "No."

"Did you ride a bike? Play tennis? Jump rope?"

"Okay, Lark. I get your point," she huffed.

Lark jumped off the rock wall, landing in front of her, grinning widely, "Fortunately for you, you became _my_ friend!"

He reached his arms up for her, catching her as she jumped off the wall too, "No...no...I'm not sure that's fortunate."

He laughed as her face drained of colour as she backed away slightly.

"C'mon, Wendy!" he taunted, taking a step toward her, "I know you had fun playing hide and seek the other night."

"Well, yeah," she admitted, "But that was work-related. It was necessary in order to get you using abilities."

He turned, pointing to the end of the street, "We just passed a sign that said 'Farmer's Market'. Let's go see what it's all about."

Lark started sprinting, laughing as they darted between oblivious humans. The market was packed, so there was a lot to dodge.

"Lark!" Wendy hissed as she raced to keep up with him, "Get out of _transparency_! They can feel you if you bump into them!"

"That's what makes it fun!" he declared, disappearing into the crowd.

Wendy shook her head, taking to the shadows. She didn't know what was so fun about it. If humans could detect them, it could cause chaos and draw the attention of any demons lurking around. She glanced around nervously, but she didn't see any demons…for now.

Lark slowed down to a halt, glancing at something up ahead. Unable to follow his gaze, Wendy stepped out of the shadows, standing beside him.

"It's a Monster Truck rally..." he whispered.

"A what?" she asked, squealing as he grabbed her hand again, running toward it.

He stopped abruptly in front of a large, brightly coloured truck. The wheels were almost as tall as Wendy. Spectators admired it too, a crowd gathered around the wheels.

"What... is that?" she asked, noting the ladder that hung from the window. She couldn't fathom why humans would want to drive a truck so large.

"It's awesome!" Lark exclaimed, "C'mon Wendy!"

He pulled her deeper into the crowd, heading for the main arena. Three or four trucks were taking jumps, flying precariously into the air, then smashing to the ground. Each truck recovered after several bounces, heading for the next jump. His eyes widened with excitement.

"They're so loud!" Wendy complained, covering her ears.

A big, dopey grin crossed his face as he eyed a nearby monster truck that was currently unused. It had bull horns protruding from the roof, a wild bull painted on the front.

"What are you doing?" Wendy demanded as Lark grabbed her hand.

"Lark…we can't go in that thing."

"You need to learn to have a little fun, Wendy," he chastised.

"No! No, I don't!" she protested.

"I wanna see inside!" he grinned excitedly, her eyes widening with horror as he _transported_ , bringing her with him into the monster truck cabin.

"We need to get out of here!" Wendy hissed, "We're going to get caught!"

"There's nobody in here!" he laughed, admiring the dashboard, "This is so cool!"

Wendy relaxed a bit. She had to admit, the cockpit was a little more impressive than the average vehicle. There were a lot more gadgets and instruments. The wheel was surprisingly average-sized. She settled into the passenger seat as Lark examined the dash in front of him.

"Keys are here," he said with a wicked grin, "We could go for a joy ride."

"No!" Wendy declared loudly, "No, we couldn't! Lark, don't even think about it!"

He grinned, pointing to the keys in the ignition.

"Lark!" Wendy shook her head vigorously, "You don't even have a regular licence, do you? You can't drive this truck!"

He laughed as she covered her eyes, "Relax. I'm kidding."

Both froze as they heard a noise outside the truck.

"Someone's climbing the ladder," Wendy whispered in alarm.

Lark grinned ear-to-ear, jumping into the passenger seat with Wendy.

"What are you doing?" she screeched, moving over.

"We're gonna get to go for a ride!" he replied gleefully.

"No way! Not happening!" Wendy yelled, preparing to transport.

He grabbed her hand, squeezing it lightly, "Have a little fun, Wendy."

They locked eyes as the driver slid through the window, putting his seatbelt.

Lark grinned when Wendy sighed her resignation, grabbing the passenger seat belt. He maneuvered his body behind Wendy's, settling her between his legs so he could click the seatbelt shut. The driver glanced briefly to the passenger seat, frowning at the click, then turned the truck on.

Lark was practically vibrating with excitement, Wendy shaking more because of fear.

"Helmets, Lark…even the driver has a helmet! Mavis, we're going to die!"

"We're already dead!" Lark lamented, securing his arms around Wendy's waist tightly.

Wendy screamed as the truck lurched forward.

* * *

Gajeel sniffed the air, his brows furrowing as he picked up Dan's scent.

"He went this way," he told Laxus, not even turning to greet the other Angel when he appeared.

Laxus followed Gajeel silently, watching as the black-haired Angel paused at the end of the alley, "He wasn't alone. They were dragging something heavy."

Laxus glanced down the street both ways, "I'll be impressed if you can follow the trail any further than that. This street has seen a lot of foot traffic today."

Gajeel sighed heavily, "You're right about that. I can't track him any further than here. But now we know he's out there. There's no sign of Jackal."

"We received a text from Gray about an hour ago," Laxus told him, "He says Jackal was killed. The demons took his body."

"Well, that explains that," Gajeel grunted.

"Lyon is on his way back to Magnolia," Laxus informed him, "He's pretty sure he knows where Lark and Wendy are heading, but he spotted some demons out in the forest and changed his course in case he was being followed."

Gajeel grunted again, "I'd rather not go to that stupid meeting. We're wasting time that we could be using to find Dan."

"It will be a top priority," Laxus agreed, "But Levy will need your help."

Gajeel glanced down the street both ways, growling to himself. If he could dedicate some time to searching down the corridors of Magnolia, he could pick up the scent again. There was no telling if it would still be there after the meeting.

* * *

They had exited the squad car in order to talk face to face. Jellal had tried easing into the conversation, first by announcing Gajeel and Levy were Angels, then by informing him that Natsu himself was not always human.

Natsu shook his head, backing away from the three men in front on him, "It's not possible."

"But it's the truth," Rogue said softly, "Sting and I were there…you used to be an Angel. You were transformed back to a full human being so that you could be with Lucy."

"This is by far the _stupidest_ prank you've ever played," Natsu growled, shaking a finger in Rogue's face, "It's bad enough that you're trying to tell me Metal-head is an Angel – _Levy_ , I might believe it – but not Metal-Head! There's _no way_ I'm an Angel anymore than he is!"

"Mavis erased your memories," Erik told him, "It was a condition of your coming back to Earthland."

" _Angels don't exist_!" Natsu shouted, pacing back and forth furiously, "And you're trying to tell me that _demons_ killed Dan and Samuel's group and orchestrated the kidnappings?"

Jellal watched Rogue and Erik's faces, getting more flustered by the moment. Natsu was not taking the news as they as they'd hoped.

"Yes," Rogue stated, "That's what we're telling you."

"But we're also telling you that Angels are watching over you," Jellal put in, "And that we are working hard to protect your family – all of the human families."

Natsu let out an ear-piercing shriek, bending over so that his nose touched his knees, his hands covering his ears.

"What's going on?" Rogue demanded, confused by Natsu's sudden pain-like episode.

"I'm pushing a memory through his head," Erik replied, "Of the day of the orphanage fire."

Natsu recovered from the unexpected push, staring at the two Angels before him.

"It was you…" Natsu gawked at both Jellal and Erik, his face shocked and more confused than ever, "You were there. _You_ set up the pillow we jumped into from the window! We...would have died..."

They nodded solemnly.

"We've always watched over you," Erik told him, "Heaven cares very deeply for you."

A second squad car pulled up, Yukino behind the wheel. Natsu could tell she'd been told something too because of the way she stared at Natsu. Lucy and Aki got out of the passenger seats, Laki and Megumi moving to join Rogue.

"Natsu..." Lucy cried out, throwing herself in her husband's arms. Her tears were making his shirt wet. Natsu stared at Levy, looking for signs that would identify her as an Angel. He'd known her for years...how was it even possible?

Natsu cradled his wife, squeezed her tightly as he pulled a terrified Aki into the bear hug as well. She was shaking, which only added to Natsu's growing fury. He felt betrayed on more than one level. It was apparent that Rogue - and Sting - were aware of Gajeel and Levy's secret all along. Rogue had admitted as much.

"Let them have their moment," Jellal told Erik as Erik glanced at his watch, "There's still more to tell them before we can take them to the meeting."

* * *

They'd sat in the truck throughout the entire 10-minute performance. Lark was thankful they were both invisible, because they'd both screamed their damned heads off – Lark because he felt so exhilarated, Wendy because she was freaking terrified.

The truck flew through the air after a jump, sometimes flying up to 20 feet above the ground. Landings were the hard part, their bodies flying into the air, despite the harness that Lark had secured around their bodies. To make matters worse, Lark and Wendy had been sharing a seat. They'd bonked heads more than once. After a few times of doing this, Lark found himself enjoying their intimate position. In order to avoid clunking heads, Wendy buried her head in his shoulder. He liked the feel of her weight on his lap…he liked the way she clung to him whenever the truck went airborne. He'd tightened his arms around her, holding her head to his chest when it became obvious she really didn't _want_ to see what they were going to jump over next.

He was rather disappointed when the truck finally came to a halt at the end of the driver's demonstration. The crowd outside was going wild, screaming their appreciation. Wendy's face had completely drained of colour. Her chest heaved in her attempts to resist the urge to throw up in the truck.

"Stay still," he advised her, cradling her close, "You've got motion sickness. It'll go away. We just have to wait for a minute."

The driver disembarked. Lark held Wendy to his chest, soothing her until he felt they were ready to _transport_ from the truck.

Lark's eased her down onto a bench gently. He was still laughing to himself, still awed at what could have been the coolest experience of his lifetime. Wendy wasn't nearly as happy, however.

"Are you okay now?" he asked gently.

He was kneeling in front of her, smoothing her hair back from her face. She was still trembling, but some of the colour had returned to her face.

She shook her head, "That was so…"

"AWESOME!" Lark supplied, jumping to his feet, "Did you see the dirt we were kicking up? And holy shit - when we jumped 10 cars? Gawd, Wendy! That was the coolest experience of my lifetime!"

She groaned, clenching her stomach. He calmed himself, feeling a little guilty for dragging her into it. Clearly, she didn't get the adrenaline rush out of it that he had.

"Let's walk," he suggested, "Maybe the clear air will help."

She nodded, letting him pull her to her feet. They exited the arena area slowly, Lark's arm still draped around her shoulders loosely.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, "Maybe that was a bit much for you."

"I'll be fine," she sighed, scanning the crowd, "Do you need to eat before we go back to the hotel?"

Lark nodded, "Definitely."

"I didn't bring my disguise," Wendy sighed.

"Nobody will recognize you if it's just a minute," Lark told her, pointing at a booth, "Let's get tacos."

She nodded, freeing herself of his arm, then flitted to the shadows to find a place she could turn solid without being seen.

"Stay here," she told him, "I'll be back in a minute."

"Get lots!" Lark suggested, "We're going to be holed up for the rest of the night, right?"

Wendy nodded, disappearing into the crowd. She sighed to herself.

Lark was a bundle of energy. It was good that he'd completely forgotten about everything in Magnolia, even if it was just for a little while. She found herself wishing that she could have enjoyed the monster truck more. It would be nice to be able to forget like he did. All he needed was a little fun.

She sighed to herself. Lark and his fun. His carefree attitude was what got him into trouble all the time. Still, he had a point. At least he knew _how_ to have fun. As much as the monster truck experience had scared the living crap out of her, she had to admit it was exhilarating.

She joined the line at the taco booth, glancing over her shoulder. Lark was staring at her from the bench, a soft smile on his face. He waved, then turned his attention to looking at the other booths around him.

Lark was such a complicated individual. But he was sweet and there were traits about him that she found to be very…unique. He intrigued her.

Movement out of the corner of her eye caught Wendy's attention. She turned her head, seeing the dark ominous shadow just as it disappeared behind the booth, leaving a black Aura.

She felt the fear cascade throughout her body. Was that a demon?

She glanced back at Lark. He was watching a couple play a game involving darts behind him.

Apologizing to Lark silently, she pulled herself from the lineup and B-lined for the nearest shadows. The demons should not be able to detect them, but she still needed to see if they were actively looking for Lark.

If the shadow was what she thought it was, Lark and Wendy would have to leave Onibus that very night.

* * *

Romeo swigged his wine bottle, thumbing through the pages of the manuscript he still hadn't taken back to the precinct. There had to be _something_ in there…something that he'd missed. He needed an explanation as to why demons would attack the inmates that had once terrorized Lucy and Levy, let alone kidnap Cana and Daisuke. He couldn't figure out the connection no matter how hard he thought about it. As much as he believed the manuscript was a diary of what actually happened 16 years ago, it couldn't give him the answers he needed.

He threw it angrily against the wall, feeling some satisfaction when it landed behind the TV where he couldn't see it anymore.

"You're confused," a voice said.

Romeo's eyes widened, his hand immediately drawing the gun from his belt. He pointed it out to the room, turning in each direction of his living room.

A red-head sat on his couch. She wore a long red dress, slit up to her thighs, and high heels, her long hair reaching almost to the floor. She tilted her head, wavering in the seat slightly.

"Who the hell are you?" Romeo demanded.

"I'm surprised you don't know," she laughed, putting her feet up on his coffee table, "But I guess you weren't at the battlefield, were you? Or at the face-off at the Church."

His eyes were drawn to her chest. The fabric separated from the skirt at her waist, scantily covering her enormous breasts.

"My name is Flare," the redhead told him, "I'm a demon of Alvarez."

"Demon," Romeo repeated, cocking his gun.

"Oh, put that away!" Flare scoffed, "You can't hurt me with it."

Her hair shot out, knocking the gun out of Romeo's hands. He stared at her in shock, not sure what his next move should be.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

She leaned forward, wavering as she grinned at him, "To tell you the truth of what's going on. You won't find it in that stupid manuscript you keep looking through. The entire thing is a bold-face lie anyway."

Romeo felt his insides twist. He wanted..no _needed_ to know the truth...but he didn't trust Flare. Every fibre of his being screamed at him to get away from her. Yet, he wanted to know what she had to say...to see if she could tell him something new.

He lowered himself to the chair across from her, "I'm listening."

"Your friend, Natsu…" Flare leaned forward, "He's not who he says he is."

"I know that," Romeo replied.

"You don't the half of it," Flare said in challenge, "All of the things that have happened in Magnolia lately…it's all because of him."

"Because of Natsu?" Romeo repeated.

Flare nodded, "Natsu and his stupid son…Larcade."

"What does Lark have to do with this?" Romeo asked.

"Let's start with him," Flare decided. She stood, pacing the room. She wavered on her feet, making Romeo wonder if she'd had something to drink too before arriving there.

"Larcade Dragneel can see Angels…you knew that, right?"

Romeo stayed silent, watching her as she grabbed his wine bottle, chugging some of the contents back.

"Larcade is the son of a certain Angel…but he's also the son of a demon."

Flare sat on the coffee table in front of Romeo, running her fingers down his leg, "The Angels think they're so high and mighty - and demons are lesser beings. They prey on us like animals. That's where Larcade comes in. He's half-Angel, half-demon and he has powers that would exceed both sides. The demons need him…in order to stop Natsu."

"Stop Natsu…" Romeo repeated, "Why do you need to stop Natsu?"

"He hates us," Flare told him, her eyes gleaming, "He wants to decimate us...annihilate our existences...even though he's one of us."

She paused, gauging Romeo's shocked face.

"You didn't suspect it?" she queried, scoffing, "Not even when he nearly beat the tar out of you with his bare hands?"

Romeo was shell-shocked, not really sure how to handle this new information.

"You heard right, Romeo...Natsu and Larcade have ties in Heaven and Hell," she laughed, "But the half-blood runs with the suppressed while the whole blood runs with the aggressors."

"That makes no sense," Romeo interjected, "How they be both Angel and demon?"

"Larcade is a half-blood, the son of Mavis Vermillion and Zeref Dragneel," Flare told him, her eyes burning a dark, red colour.

"Mavis..." Romeo repeated, recognizing the name as the Daughter Angel.

She nodded, "And Zeref...ruler of the underworld."

Romeo took a sharp breath, "So where does Natsu fit in?"

"Natsu is a full-blooded demon," Flare told him, "He was raised in Heaven, yes...but make no mistake. He has betrayed us...betrayed his brother, Emperor Zeref..."

Romeo's eyes widened, fear gripping his entire body.

"The demons are painted out to be evil, while the Angels claim to be oh-so-good," Flare hissed, moving to the side of Romeo's chair. She stooped to her knees, placing her hands on his lap. She stroked the fabric there, leaning in close to his face, "In reality, it's the other way around. The Angels want to destroy the balance of good and evil. And Natsu Dragneel is their leader."

Romeo gulped, not sure what to make of this insinuation.

"We took Daisuke Cheney and Cana Alberona in an attempt to draw Larcade out," Flare continued, ghosting her lips across Romeo's, "Not because we wanted to hurt Larcade…but because we need to get him away from Natsu…so he can recognize his true power. Why do you think Natsu poses as Larcade's Earthland father? Why do you think they clash so badly? He is holding Larcade back. But we can't get near either of them because they're always protected by those nasty Angels."

"That can't be true!" Romeo cried out, his voice strained, "I know my partner...I know my _friend_! Natsu would never intentionally hurt anyone!"

"Are you sure?" Flare asked, slinking her body onto his lap, "Did you believe that when he looked you in the eyes in that boxing ring?"

Romeo froze, his mind warring. It couldn't be true...he'd been partners with Natsu for a long time. He was an upstanding citizen of Magnolia, decorated with awards for his over and above acts of kindness in the community. He had 8 kids and a wife that he loved more than anything on Earthland.

"Natsu is the enemy," she whispered in his ear, nipping it lightly, "Natsu wants to destroy your friends. Look at the pain and suffering he's caused. Half of the Magnolia Police Department is in the hospital. You witnessed the deaths of some very close colleagues at Fairy Tail last night."

"That was the work of demons!" Romeo cried out, his voice raised.

"No," Flare shook her head, "That was the work of Angels, under the direction of Natsu Dragneel. He wanted Jackal and Dan dead. He didn't care who got in the way. Just like he didn't care who got hurt when Daisuke and Cana were kidnapped."

Romeo shook his head, trying to back away from her, but his body was frozen in place.

"What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice quivering. Chills ran down his back, every hair on his neck standing on end, "And what does this have to do with Lark?"

" _Find Lark_ for us, Romeo. Lark is the only one who can stop Natsu," Flare whispered, licking his ear, "Why do you think they clash like they do? Larcade has powers deep inside that can end this before a war starts…by destroying Natsu Dragneel."

Romeo's body began to shake. His head hurt, swirling with thoughts that Flare had planted in his head. He pressed his hands to his ears, trying to stop the roaring between his ears.

"Bring him to us," Flare whispered, stroking his hair gently, "Larcade will reach out before long…find him and bring him to us."

"How do I know where to find you?" Romeo gulped.

"You'll know," Flare promised, "We'll be in contact when the time comes. In the meantime…check out your texts. It seems there's going to be a meeting you should be at."

Romeo closed his eyes, trying to dull the roar between his ears. Suddenly, it disappeared. He blinked, opening his eyes. He was alone in his living room. Flare was gone.

He looked at the empty wine bottle on his coffee table. Did he dream the whole thing? Staggering across the living room, he picked the manuscript up from behind the TV.

"I don't know what to believe anymore," he whispered out loud.

A vision of Loke and Aries' mangled bodies flashed in his memory. He knew Natsu hadn't been himself for some time now. He'd seen Natsu out for blood when they'd fought that time at the gym. Gildarts was in the hospital after being with Natsu. Half the police force was also in the hospital. Dan and Jackal were missing and presumed dead. Loke and Aries were definitely dead.

"Natsu…" Romeo whispered, lowering his head between his hands as he rocked himself back and forth, "What in the hell have you done?"

* * *

 _ **A/N: I have chills...do you have chills? I have chills.**_

 _ **Another update for Before I Get Gray will be out before long. I'll be working on another chapter for Dating Oops and finishing the Buck-A-Suck short story shortly.**_

 _ **Leave a comment! Love hearing from you!**_

 _ **~Shana**_


	32. Chapter 32

Lucy withdrew from the embrace she was sharing with Natsu and Aki, her eyes dark and angry.

"The initial shock is gone," she stated flatly, turning to Levy, "And I need some answers."

Cana folded her arms, scrutinizing Erik and Jellal with her eyes, "You're the ones who wanted to bring Dan and Jackal here in the first place. So what...are all prison representatives Angels in disguise, or are Dan and Jackal special for some reason?"

Natsu's eyes flared, lunging at the stunned Angels. Cana yanked him back by his collar, restraining him with both arms.

"Chill, Fire Boy," she seethed, "Give them a chance to explain."

"Laki," Rogue said in a low voice, "Take Aki and Megumi to the car."

"I want answers too," Laki growled, "I'm not leaving."

Rogue turned to Aki. She nodded, starting to usher Megumi away.

"Stay there, Aki," Lucy ordered, never diverting her eyes from the Angels, "Nobody is running away this time. We all need to hear this."

Aki froze, glancing from face-to-face. She put her arms protectively around Megumi, who seemed more excited about a possible confrontation than afraid of it.

Levy swallowed. She had never seen Lucy looking so dark and dangerous. It kind of frightened her, especially when she caught Natsu's eye. Cana had expressed understanding to Levy during their earlier conversation. She really hoped she would try to help the Angels now. She still held onto Natsu, restraining him from doing anything stupid.

"The entire crew that attacked you several years ago are dead," Jellal stated, getting back to Cana's observation, "Dan and Jackal were the last ones. There was concern that their murders could be linked to your safety. It was necessary to bring them here."

" _Necessary?_ " Natsu yelled, shaking Cana off, "It was bad enough when I thought it was a state decision – now you're telling us freakin' _Angels_ brought them here purposely? When you're supposedly Lucy and Levy's guardians?"

"We needed to find out what was going on!" Erik told him, his voice raised, "It was the best way to protect everyone here in Magnolia and find out why the murders were happening."

"Protect everyone!" Natsu thundered, "Dan is out there somewhere now! Do you really think he's not going to come after Lucy and Levy?!"

"We're making sure that doesn't happen!" Jellal stated, watching Natsu's eyes flicker again, "You're all under our protection."

"And where was that protection when Gildarts and half the Magnolia Police Department ended up in the hospital?!" Natsu yelled, "Two members of Fairy Tail are dead! Dan is on the loose – and _our son_ is missing! You call that protection?!"

"Where is Lark?" Lucy interjected, her voice cracking.

"We don't know," Jellal told her, "We're working on finding him as we speak."

"Finding him!" Lucy yelled, "I can't believe this! You want us to believe that you're Angels. You want us to accept that _demons_ are pursuing our family and our friends, but you're only giving us _excuses!_ What happened? Why were Daisuke and Cana kidnapped? Where did that mark on our daughter's arm come from? Why was Fairy Tail attacked? _And where is our son?!"_

Natsu's eyes glinted as he stood firmly behind his wife, eyeing Rogue, Erik, Jellal, and Levy. Cana stayed between them and the Angels, Laki holding Aki and Megumi behind her.

"Lu," Levy whispered, "If you'll just calm down –"

"Calm down?" Lucy bellowed, taking a step forward. Both her fists were clenched. Beads of sweat appeared on her brow, "I'm done being calm! Our _house_ was attacked – and I stayed calm because I needed to step up and look after our families! One of my best friends and a kid I consider my 'other son' was taken – and I didn't ask questions because I knew that the last thing the powers that be needed was for me to lose my shit! Natsu hasn't been acting like himself for weeks – and I've stayed calm because if I lose it too, our children will get scared. Well, other than Aki, they're not here right now - and I am _DONE_ with being calm!"

Levy felt tears coming to her eyes. She hated seeing Lucy so worked up.

"You lied to me!" Lucy told Levy with a pointed finger, the anger in her eyes causing Levy to take another step back, "You say you're an Angel. You never once came to me and told me that. All these years…you lied to me! You didn't comfort me or tell me what really happened or make any effort whatsoever to tell me about my missing son! Explain that to me, Levy…why have none of us acknowledged Lark is missing until today? And now Dan is out there! Don't even get me started on that situation! Two of our best friends are…"

Lucy sniffed back tears, maintaining her piercing glare between Jellal and Levy. Natsu wrapped his arms around her waist, standing beside her to show his support. His own anger flecked in his eyes as he joined her in staring down the stunned Angels.

Levy choked back her tears. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. The Angels were _protecting_ Natsu and Lucy...not trying to anger them. Jellal put a hand on her shoulder, attempting to push comfort through her, but Levy shrugged his hand away.

"And now Dan is loose," Natsu seethed, "And Lucy is possibly going to relive her entire nightmare. Why isn't every cop in Magnolia out looking for him _right now_? Oh yeah – because they're all laid up in the hospital."

He zeroed in on Rogue, who now stood in front of Laki, Megumi, and Aki protectively.

"You owe us this, Rogue…you owe us an explanation," Natsu spat, "Because evidently, _you knew_ _too_!"

Rogue's eyes widened as he took a step back, the red glint in Natsu's eyes scaring him.

"You're right," Erik intervened, also noting the flicks of red that shot like lightning, "We do owe you an explanation."

"But there's a lot more to the story," Jellal added, his voice calm, "And we can't tell you the details if you're screaming at us. You have to be willing to listen."

Natsu and Lucy exchanged glances, Cana nodding to them that they needed to try. Aki bit her lower lip, hating the tension. She squeezed Megumi's hand.

"Start with who I am," Natsu stated, his voice agitated, but showing restraint.

Erik nodded, "You are Natsu Dragneel…former Angel. A long time ago, you were an orphan in Heaven. You came to Earthland for a mission – to protect two young women from a long-term threat and find a way to help them find peace and happiness."

"It turned out," Jellal added, "That _Lucy_ was your happiness. You were instrumental in defeating Dan the first time. We can go into details another time. Long story short, you fell in love with Lucy, but in order to be together, you had to become fully human and give up all your memories of being an Angel."

Lucy and Natsu both shook their heads, not sure that they could believe the outlandish story. They'd been together for a long time...it seemed unlikely something that traumatic could happen and neither of them would remember it.

"So why don't I have memories then?" Lucy queried.

"Both of your memories were erased," Rogue interjected, "In fact, anyone who witnessed any activities of the Angels had their memories erased. Time was essentially reset. Natsu the Angel was written out of human existence so that he could come back as a full human."

"And yet, you knew," Laki inquired, looking her husband in the eye, "Or at least I assume you did, because none of this is a shock to you."

Rogue nodded slowly, "I know…and Sting knows."

Laki glared at him, clearly preparing how she was going to lay into him. It was a policy of theirs to be completely honest with each other about everything.

"For years, Rogue and Sting have worked closely with us," Erik stated, "The Angels look after the police force, Fairy Tail, and your individual families. Please understand though, Laki…Rogue keeping such a secret from you was not to intentionally hurt you. Until now, there has been no reason for any of you to know. It's safer that way…for everyone."

Laki glanced at Lucy who was still shell-shocked at the knowledge that she'd been with Natsu for such a long time and had _no clue_ that he was an Angel.

"So, what happens now?" Cana pushed, trying to move the conversation onward.

"We need to move forward," Jellal said firmly, "And in order to do that, we need to band together. It's time for all of us to stop pointing fingers and work on how to annihilate the threat…once and for all."

"There's a meeting in about 10 minutes," Erik told them, "Angels and humans will all attend. The purpose is to formulate a plan and get the answers we _all_ need."

"Please…" Levy whispered softly. She'd stopped crying, but she begged Natsu and Lucy with her eyes to agree to go to the meeting, "No one is telling you you can't be angry…but we all need to be on the same page."

Lucy glanced to Natsu, her anger still evident. Natsu hadn't calmed down much either.

"Okay," Cana spoke for the entire human group, "We'll come."

Lucy shook her head slowly, "Cana…"

"We need to listen," Cana told her sharply, "They're right…we need a plan. Too many people we love have been hurt. We owe it to them."

"Lisanna and Virgo will be there," Laki added, "They should be back in town by now."

Cana nodded to her, the two of them ushering Aki and Megumi toward the car.

Natsu and Lucy exchanged glances, then followed them.

Rogue let out a deep breath, "They're still angry."

"Yes," Jellal agreed, "But at least they're listening."

* * *

Wendy followed the dark figure from the _shadows_. She still hadn't had a clear view of it yet, but there was definitely something there.

She glanced back toward Lark, content to see that he was still watching the couple that were playing darts. _She just needed to confirm_ …

She flitted around the corner, a little aggravated when again, she saw the shadow only as it disappeared around the bend. She approached cautiously, aware that if demons had somehow figured out how to break _Conceal_ , she could well be walking into a trap.

Taking a deep breath, she peered around the next corner. The shadow paused for a moment, then flitted further down the path.

Wendy considered going back to Lark. They could leave the city within the hour if they went back to the hotel room. But if that _was_ a demon looking for Lark, she'd lead it right to him.

No, she had to know for sure.

* * *

Lark glanced over to the taco counter, wondering what was taking so long. Wendy had been gone for probably 20 minutes already. How big could a line-up to a taco stand possibly be? He was getting positively _bored._

He turned his attention back to the teenagers in front of him. The longer Lark watched, the more he liked them.

Their names were Ena and Takuma. Lark determined through their conversation that they weren't on a date, but rather ended up together when the rest of their group took off around the Farmers Market.

Takuma had already spent almost $20.00 on darts, trying to win the large stuffed animal on display. He was failing miserably, but they were having a pretty good time. The attraction was palpable.

However, at the rate that they were flirting, it would be 100 years before anything happened between them.

Ena laughed nervously as Takuma shelled out another $2.50 to receive another 3 darts. Ena stepped back, blushing as Takuma psyched himself up, bouncing from one foot to the other. He glanced back at Ena, offering a feeble grin. She nodded to him as he poised to throw the next dart.

Lark groaned. Not only did his flirting skills suck, but his throwing skills _sucked_ too _._ He threw all 3 darts, missing the balloons all three times. They were _never_ going to get a stuffed animal that way. And their flirting was going nowhere if something more substantial didn't happen soon.

 _The kid needed help._

Lark looked around the booths for something – anything – that would be a way to get them to sit down together.

He spotted an ice cream booth, _nudging_ Ena to glance at it.

"Do you…want some ice cream?" Takuma asked, following her gaze.

Ena hesitated.

Lark rolled his eyes, then _nudged_ her too. They were ridiculously polite.

 _Seriously…Brielle could flirt better than these two!_

"Thank you…that would be nice."

Takuma reached into his pocket, pulling out a few dollars. He bought them each a swirled soft ice cream.

As soon as they sat down on a nearby bench, Lark used the shadows to surge ahead, knocking Takuma's ice cream from his hands. He and Ena both stared at it on the ground.

Lark grinned, turning to Takuma, then _whispered_ to Ena.

"I'll share," Ena suggested, instantly turning bright red.

Takuma blushed too, then nodded, "Okay. Thank you."

They locked eyes.

"You go first," Takuma suggested.

"That's okay," Ena smiled, "You can go first."

Lark _nudged_ them, making them both bend to take a lick of the ice cream at the same time. If Ena wasn't flushed before, she was now. Both laughed nervously as Takuma ended up with a cheek full of soft ice cream.

Takuma took a deep breath, "You're pretty, Ena."

His eyes widened, clearly unprepared for his sudden burst of boldness.

Ena reached out, wiping the ice cream off his cheek.

Lark poured on the _nudging,_ chuckling wildly to himself as both Ena and Takuma leaned in for another lick, their lips meeting above the ice cream cone instead.

"You can take it from here," Lark told Takuma, backing away as the 2nd cone hit the ground in favour of the next, more passionate kiss.

* * *

Daisuke opened his eyes, blinking a few times before his surroundings came into focus. He'd fallen asleep again. The amount of time he spent sleeping frustrated him. Aki wasn't there anymore, he guessed because she wanted to let him rest. His mother wasn't there either, however, and he found that a bit odd.

There were IV lines in both arms, making it hard to maneuver to a more comfortable position. The doctors were pumping him full of antibiotics to prevent infection in addition to giving him pain medication. It was working, he supposed, since the pain level was decidedly less than it had been during Aki's visit.

He could see his phone on the nightstand. He supposed he was lucky to get it back, considering that it had been lost at the site where he'd been kidnapped. His mother had brought it that morning so that Daisuke could be in touch with both parents.

He tried to reach for it, crying out when his side released a jolt of pain. He growled at himself for being such a wussy, then braced himself for a second attempt.

"Don't do that," a voice said quietly, "I'll get it for you."

Daisuke's eyes widened as they darted around the room. He was alone. He _knew_ the door hadn't opened!

His eyes fell on a pretty girl with long, white hair. Her eyes were the brightest blue he'd ever seen. She wore her bangs in a hair elastic to keep them out of her eyes.

"Hello, Daisuke," she greeted, handing him his cell phone.

He regarded her, taking in her soft features, "Who are you?"

She smiled, making his heart thump.

"My name is Mirajane."

"Are you one of Lark's Angels?" Daisuke asked.

Mira smiled again, "In a manner of speaking, I suppose so. Normally I'm stationed in Heaven, but I'm here until further notice. The Angels need all the help they can get."

He nodded, cringing as a twinge of pain rocked his side.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I don't have healing ability."

"It's okay," he murmured, opening his eyes as the pain passed, "It's much better than before."

She smiled again, sending comfort through his body to calm him.

"So…are you here to check on me?" Daisuke asked.

She nodded, "Yes. I'm sure you have a lot of questions that need answering."

He sighed, "I don't even know where to start."

"It's okay, Daisuke," she assured him, taking his hand and squeezing it, "We have time. Nobody will be here for awhile."

"Why not?" Daisuke asked, confused, "Sora is supposed to come by and I'm hoping Aki will be back."

"They're going to a meeting…between the humans and the Angels," Mira explained, "You can't go – for obvious reasons – so I'm here to get you up to date and answer any questions you might have."

Daisuke nodded, closing his eyes for a moment.

"You're thinking about Lark," Mira sympathized.

"I can't help it," Daisuke admitted, "It was the last thing I saw before I got into the helicopter…Lark disappeared and that blonde woman was struck by…whatever that was."

"Lark is safe," Mira assured him, "He's with Wendy."

"Wendy," Daisuke repeated, "She's the Angel that tried to save me when I got kidnapped."

Mira nodded.

"And who was the blonde woman that...saved Lark?" Daisuke asked, remembering how the beam seemed to slice right through her just before she disappeared completely.

"That was Mavis," Mira told him, "Lark's biological mother."

Daisuke shook his head in disbelief, "Lark has never met his biological parents."

Mira waited for it…the inevitable realization that Mavis was an Angel. His eyes widened as it dawned on him.

"So...does that mean…"

"Yes," Mira nodded, "Lark is an Angel too."

Daisuke was shocked he wasn't more surprised...but then, with everything that had happened, he wasn't sure anything could surprise him anymore.

"I'm going to update you with all the news," Mira promised him, "But first, I want to ask for your help."

"My help?" Daisuke repeated, "I don't know that there's a lot I can do."

Mira shook her head, "On the contrary. I think your help will be instrumental."

Daisuke watched her, waiting for the explanation.

"Wendy will know that it's not safe to call Lark's parents," Mira told him, "We're expecting Wendy will reach out to us somehow…and we think you might be the point of contact."

"Me?" Daisuke repeated, still too stunned to think clearly, "Why me?"

"You're his best friend," Mira pointed out, "He will want to contact someone he trusts. He can't use his phone and he can't contact his parents. We're guessing it will either be you or Sora."

"What do you want me to do?" Daisuke asked.

"Keep your phone with you at all times," Mira replied, "And contact me if you hear from him."

Daisuke nodded, "I can do that. But I'll need a number to call."

"I'll put it into your contacts right now," Mira agreed, taking his phone from him, "It'll be under 'Mira'."

She paused, pushing some comfort toward him when he still looked overwhelmed…and a little like the pain meds were starting to wear off again.

"There's something else, Daisuke…" Mira murmured, "And it's not an easy request."

Daisuke gulped, taking the phone from her hand when she passed it back to him.

"I need you to tell me about the demons you had contact with," Mira said gently, "We need to know specifics about them…so that we can prepare ourselves."

"There's going to be another attack, isn't there?" Daisuke asked, a shudder going through him.

"Not for sure," Mira denied, "If we can help it, nobody else will get hurt. But just in case…we need to know our enemy."

* * *

Lark sighed with satisfaction. With Takuma and Ena now well on their way to a fantastic night, he was bored again. He scanned the area, noting that Wendy was still not back at the taco stand. He had no clue where she'd gone, but he was starting to get worried. It wasn't like her to disappear for long. He hummed to himself, deciding that if she didn't show up in the next 10 minutes, he'd go find her.

In the meantime, a new couple had caught his eyes. He figured they were in their late 20's to early 30's and married presumably – considering they both wore wedding rings. That was the only indication, however. They walked well apart from each other as they conversed. It was almost like they weren't getting along well, but Lark could see the man holding back. He didn't want to cause friction, based on the way he kept backtracking his comments. Lark watched them intently, picking up on her obvious frustration with his avoidance.

"We don't _have_ to have kids. I'm just saying that if we don't have a baby soon, we may never start a family," the husband was saying, "Don't you want children? Didn't we always say that before we got married?"

She sighed heavily, flicking her dark brown hair out of her eyes, "Well, that was _before_ I was offered that internship! Don't you see, Greg? We have a great life and we've got half the money we'll need for retirement _because_ I have this job! Do you really want to risk it by having a pregnancy right now?"

Lark could see that Greg was going to let it go. His face had 'frustrated' written all over it, but Lark could almost see him pushing it down as he attempted to go the placid-so-we-don't-fight route.

Lark _compelled_ him, daring him to say what was really on his mind.

"It's a _job,_ Annie! And you need to decide where your priorities are. I never see you anymore because you're always on the road. I'm in this marriage by myself."

His eyes went wide, shocked that he would say it out loud.

"That _job_ makes it so that we can have a comfortable life," she said in a low, irate voice.

Lark _nudged_ him, this time letting Greg say what he needed to say in his own words.

"And in case you didn't notice, you're not the only one contributing to it," Greg replied, his voice even, "I have a career too…but I'm still at home every night, waiting for you to decide you'd like to spend time with me. We're drifting apart, Annie. We never see each other."

Annie froze, her face shocked.

"I didn't realize you were so unhappy," Annie said quietly, "I thought you supported my career."

"I do. I'm proud of you," Greg said in a low voice, "But somewhere along the way, you forgot that I'm part of the team too. I miss you. I want to go back to how things were before."

Annie paused, looking down at her feet.

"Me too," she whispered finally, "But if you're this unhappy, do you really think a child is a good idea right now?"

"Maybe not," Greg admitted, "We need to work on 'us' first…if 'us' is what you want. I don't want to lose you, Annie…but I need to know what's more important to you…your career or your marriage."

Annie's expression became pained, "I didn't realize it was a possibility I could lose my marriage…why haven't you ever said anything before?"

They stared at each other for a moment. He could see Greg struggling. He didn't want to fight. Lark _nudged_ him, deciding the best way to help them was to help Greg be honest with her.

"I didn't feel I could," Greg murmured, "I'm worried if I say something wrong, you won't come home again."

Annie had tears in her eyes.

"What we have is not a marriage, Annie," Greg said softly, "We both work to bring in money to the household…but our household is empty. We have nice things, but we don't enjoy them together. I'm not saying you have to quit your job…but isn't there a way for you to have your career...and still prioritize our marriage too?"

Lark sent comfort to both Greg and Annie, hoping now that there could be a compromise now that Annie knew how Greg truly felt.

"I'll ask for a position in town," Annie said softly, throwing herself into Greg's chest.

Greg wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head, "Thank you…"

Lark _nudged_ one final time, then _compelled_ to be sure Greg would get the drift. A hug wasn't good enough. Their new deal needed to sealed with a kiss. She needed to know how much Greg actually cared about her...that the attraction was still there and their marriage was worth saving.

He smiled as Greg lifted Annie's chin and claimed her lips. At first it was tentative and gentle, but Lark pushed a little harder. Greg pulled Annie completely against him, their kiss turning needy and desperate.

 _Now_ he could let them figure it out on their own.

He offered a silent prayer for them, wishing them well as he headed back to the bench Wendy had told him to wait at.

Oddly, it was still empty.

* * *

Wendy was getting concerned now. A second shadow had joined the first and they were moving rapidly.

She approached the next corner, humming to herself that she had to find a way to get to Lark. The demons weren't following her – in fact, she was quite convinced they didn't know she was there. It concerned her that they kept leading her further away, however. It was time to turn back whether they followed her or not. If they followed her, at least she would know Lark is safe.

She peered around the corner, just in time to see that the shadowy demons had become solid. They were tiny, red-skinned devils - commonly known as 'imps'. Even focusing on one spot, they were quick. No wonder she'd had trouble keeping up to them. They were screeching with laughter as they tore apart a rose bush in front of a house, furiously cutting up the flowers with their claws.

Wendy sighed with relief. They were low-level and totally oblivious to her. Imps were mischief makers at best...not a threat she should be worried about. She turned, going back the way she'd come. She needed to get food and get back to Lark. Low-level or not, she wanted to get out of Onibus as soon as possible.

* * *

Most everyone that was invited to the meeting were already inside the Dragneel living room. Everyone at some point in the last day had had contact with an Angel and had been briefed on the basic situation. Hopefully, that would cut out tension during the meeting so they could come up with real answers.

The Dragneel children sat on the floor, huddled together, but not talking. Carla weaved between their legs. It wasn't that they hadn't accepted everything that had been told to them…it was more that it was so overwhelming. Pantherlily and Happy both sat with kids, Pantherlily clearly unimpressed as Haru patted his head repeatedly.

Sora, Toby and Yuka had been picked up by Bacchus. Aimi and Haru eyed the boys suspiciously, calling Sora to come and sit with them. Sora could feel the apprehension both Toby and Yuka felt. She promised Aimi she'd catch up to them later. Yuka looked at her, surprise etched all over his face, but he didn't dare say anything.

Yukino joined Evergreen in the kitchen, the other cops convening around them. Romeo stood in a corner of the kitchen alone, his eyes hooded by his bangs. A few officers tried to talk to him, but it was obvious he was deep in thought and not in the mood for conversation.

Lisanna and Virgo arrived by taxi, immediately receiving hugs from Yukino as they entered the house. For so many people being in one spot, the room was remarkably quiet.

Sting and Gajeel made their way to the front of the living room, all eyes following them. Sting glanced through the papers in his hands, bending down to pet Carla as she rubbed against his leg. He looked over to the Dragneel children. Happy was curled up on Mieske's lap. He wasn't even pretending to mask himself anymore. He was too happy to be reunited with his kids to bother. They needed him. It was that simple.

The door opened one last time, Rogue entering with Laki and Megumi. Behind them came the rest of the entourage, their faces unreadable. Laki paused in the kitchen to hug Lisanna and Virgo, all three of them tearing up. Lucy and Natsu walked right past them, claiming chairs in the living room with their children.

"Daddy," Brielle whispered. She ran a little hand up his cheek, "I love you anyways."

"Thanks Button," Natsu replied, but he couldn't suppress the scowl on his face. It was obvious _someone_ had been talking to his kids.

"He doesn't _look_ like an Angel," Connor whispered to Happy, "He just looks like Dad!"

Happy shushed him as he locked eyes with Lucy. Lucy shook her head in disbelief. Under different circumstances, she would have been overjoyed to see the blue cat, but right now, she was overwhelmed. It was yet another unexplainable thing. Natsu stared, giving Happy a curt nod. Happy tried not to be hurt, but could feel Mieske pet him just a little more. Haru patted him too. For kids, they were very perceptive. Beside them, Pantherlily grunted his disapproval at Natsu and Lucy's snub.

"You've all been briefed on everything that's happened to date," Sting began, everyone diverting their attention to the front of the living room. Rogue made his way to the front of the room, but sat down to let Sting take the helm, "The purpose of this meeting is make a plan. We need to stand strong together."

"Now?" Natsu demanded, unable to contain himself, " _Now_ you want to stand strong together? Where was this option before Cana and Daisuke were kidnapped? Or when Gildarts got the shit beaten out of him?"

Rogue stood up, "That's enough, Natsu! We discussed this – we're not using this meeting to point fingers!"

"Coming from the traitor himself!" Natsu seethed back, "You _knew_. You and Sting. And yet, you couldn't warn us. You could've prevented a lot of the injuries and deaths…and you did _nothing_."

Romeo cocked an eyebrow as the cops let out surprised gasps. An anxiousness swept over the crowd as everyone started to whisper, followed by waves of comfort sent from the Angels that remained invisible in every corner of the room.

"Yes, we knew about Angels," Sting said loudly, "We knew they've protected us for years…we knew that Magnolia would have been blown to pieces 16 years ago if they didn't intervene. There would have been a lot more death and a lot more destruction if it weren't for them!"

"There would have been a lot _less_ if Dan and Jackal had never been brought here!" Natsu pointed out, "All of this started because of them."

"Get your head out of your ass, Natsu," Rogue growled, "You're out of line."

Natsu bawled his fists, standing from his chair, "I'm out of line? _Your son_ is in the hospital! Mine is missing!"

"Enough!" Levy yelled, getting up from her seat, "Don't you see this is not helping? We understand that you're angry – and you probably have a right to be – but being confrontational isn't helping anything!"

"That's easy for you to say," Lucy seethed, "You _know_ where your kid is!"

Levy reeled back, shocked at the aggression Lucy was showing once again. The kids on the floor shuffled anxiously, unaccustomed to seeing their parents yell at each other.

"Back off of Rogue n' Sting, Flame-Brain," Gajeel warned, standing up, "This is not their fault. And Bunny Girl, you know damn well Levy has been by your side since Day 1! Being mad is one thing - blaming Levy is another!"

Sora's face blanched. She felt a hand on her shoulder, then another on her arm. She looked backward, Toby and Yuka both nodding their support to her. It hadn't occurred to her that the humans would be angry at the Angels…nor attacking her parents so brazenly.

The adults all stood up now, arguing loudly with each other. Gajeel, Rogue, Sting and Natsu took a few steps toward each other, all yelling at each other. Brielle covered her ears, burying herself in Aimi's lap. The cops were yelling at Sting and Rogue too, demanding to know what happened to their colleagues. The Fairy Tail crew stood silently together, still trying to make sense of what happened to Loke and Aries.

The kitchen door slammed loudly suddenly, stopping the commotion in the room completely. At first, the people in the living room couldn't see who had slammed it. The fridge door opened, then closed again, then a little old man made his way around the kitchen island to the living room.

"Makarov," Aki whispered.

The other teenagers glanced at her. He had a commanding presence for such a little person, all eyes on him. He sauntered to the front, and cracked open the beer he'd taken from the fridge, taking a loud sip of it before clearing his throat.

"Sit down, Brats!" he ordered angrily.

The humans didn't know why they felt compelled to do as he asked, but everyone sat down, even the men who were threatening to start a brawl.

Makarov took another gulp of his beer and scanned the crowd, pausing only when he picked out Aki. He waved to her, giving her a big grin, before his face turned deathly serious.

"A lot has happened over the past many weeks," he began, "And you're all confused and hurt. I want you all to take a good look at the people in this room."

Everyone was stunned to silence, reluctantly obeying the little old man who still hadn't identified himself.

"Fairy Tail Earthland," Makarov continued, "You were established for the purposes of helping people who had no recourse through regular means. To date, you have had roughly 2,600 cases where your intervention has literally meant the difference between life and death for your clients."

Lucy glanced back to her friends, all of them wide-eyed as they listened.

"Magnolia Police Department," Makarov crossed the room, eyeing the police at the back, "You need no introduction. You are known country-wide for being not only effective protectors for the citizens of Magnolia, but also a close-knit family. You have worked hand-in-hand with Fairy Tail Earthland for years."

He paused, putting his beer can down.

"But unbeknownst to either of these two groups, a third group has also worked alongside you. They have helped you, protected you, and guided you in your times of need. We are Fairy Tail Heaven. Gajeel and Levy are two of our members, as you now know. Also in this group is Jellal, Erik, Erza, Gray, Juvia, Midnight, Mirajane, Laxus, Minerva, Lyon, Ezel, Sorano, and Wendy."

Each Angel, with the exception of Wendy, appeared in front of the crowd one-by-one. The people in the crowd who hadn't seen an Angel appear yet were stunned to silence.

Makarov was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and shorts. Everyone gasped as he ripped the shirt open, exposing the tattoo in the centre of his chest amongst his ample chest hair.

"Mavis! Is he stripping?" Laki cried out.

Makarov glared at her, silencing her.

"I want you to look at the tattoos each of you have been branded with," Makarov said in a low voice. He paused amidst the shuffling of people, all exposing their tattoos on the various parts of their bodies.

Lucy's touched her pink tattoo lightly, remembering her daughter had received the mark too – the mark that declared she was protected by Heaven.

"Fairy Tail Earthland, Fairy Tail Heaven, and the Magnolia Police Department work as separate divisions…but we are _one and the same_! We work to protect the same people and morals – we work to better the lives of the people around us! Those tattoos you bare are no accident! They are the symbols of our commitment – to humankind, to Angelkind, and to anyone else who may need our services! _WE ARE ONE_!"

He picked his beer up again, slamming back the remainders of the contents, "Yes – bad things have happened. Yes – there have been secrets and perhaps information should have been shared sooner, but that is why I call for you now. You all have special talents. It's time to take down the threat once and for all – and in order to do that, the childish bickering stops here! It is time to band together!"

Makarov shoved his hand in the air. The back of the hand was to the crowd, his thumb and forefinger both pointed outward. The crowd stared, mouths gaping.

"Crazy old man," one of the officers muttered.

"How is banding together supposed to get all our colleagues out of the hospital?" another demanded.

"Not to mention stop the demon attacks!" Romeo called out.

"Or bring our son back!" Lucy added.

"Or bring Loke and Aries back!" Laki demanded.

"You need a sign?" Makarov asked, "Fine! How's this for a sign?"

The entire room fell silent as Loke and Aries appeared, holding hands. Aries burst into tears as she spotted her friends. Loke's face remained solemn.

Lucy, Laki, Cana, Lisanna and Virgo all had tears streaming down their faces.

"We're okay," Aries reassured them, "Yes, we passed away…but we're still here. We still stand for the same things we did when we were alive…beside you if you'll let us. I'm sorry!"

Juvia took Aries' other hand, Lisanna, Lucy and Virgo suddenly recognizing their friend. Tears gathered in Juvia's eyes. Her beloved employees...she had dreamed of this moment. She sorely missed Mest and Kinana and prayed for their quick healing.

Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand, squeezing it for support. He'd forgotten he knew about Juvia being an Angel. He had wanted to tell her. Lucy stared with disbelief...how was it even possible that Juvia, Loke and Aries were right in front of her eyes...if Angels didn't exist?

"Our first mission is to find Dan Straight," Makarov announced, pacing back and forth, "The second issue is finding Larcade Dragneel. Third, we need to be prepared for more demon attacks. We need a counter-offensive. We can work together and make all of the above happen…or you can all walk away right now and hope for the best. You know where the door is. It's your choice."

Makarov directed his gaze to the floor, re-raising his fingers into the air. The entire room was at a standstill again, staring at him, then at each other.

Anxious murmuring broke out until Aki stood up, rolling her sleeve back to expose her new tattoo. She raised her thumb and forefinger back toward Makarov.

"What does the hand signal mean, Aki?" Makarov questioned, a small smile on his face.

Aki took a deep breath, "Even if I can't see you... no matter how far away you may be... I will always be watching you."

"And what about your tattoo?" Makarov asked.

Aki stood tall, her voice loud as she recited the declaration, "I am a proud member of Fairy Tail…I am protected and loved…and no matter where I go or what I do, I have the backing of Heaven and the Fairy Tail Family."

Aki's siblings and parents gawked, all of them wondering how she knew the old man.

Beside her, Sora rose to her feet too, slowly raising her hand. As she did so, an orange mark appeared on her forearm as well. She locked eyes with her parents, Levy tearing up as she realized the magnitude of Sora's gesture – she was accepting her parents as Angels and was declaring herself an ally. Gajeel nodded to her, his pride shining on his face.

Behind her, Toby and Yuka both stood. Lucy and Laki's mouths dropped open.

"They're making amends," Cana said out loud before either could protest, "They're asking for a second chance. If they want to declare that they'll take part in a collaborative effort to help Fairy Tail, then I support them."

She stood up too, raising her hand. Bacchus stood beside her.

Makarov beamed, watching the Dragneel kids and Ren and Sachi also stand. Shiny new tattoos appeared on their forearms in various colours as well. Happy started to bawl loudly because he was so touched, Carla rubbing his back reassuringly, causing Pantherlily to raise his eyebrows.

Levy and Gajeel's hands were raised as they joined their daughter, Gajeel making sure he squeezed between Sora and Yuka and Toby. All the Angels had their hands raised. The police department glanced back and forth between one another. Sting and Rogue both raised their hands, the forefinger and thumb extended.

They looked to the human adults, pausing…waiting to see if anyone else would step forward. The room was dead silent.

* * *

Wendy approached the bench she'd left Lark at, tacos in hand. She gawked at all the couples she was passing by. Some were engaged in heavy making out, others making goo goo eyes at each other. It was confusing…what on Earthland had happened here?

"I love you!" a man professed to his wife, grabbing her arm and steering her from the crowd, "Let's go home! Bedroom – now!"

Wendy had to jump out of their way, nearly dropping Lark's precious bag of food. She stared after them, confused.

"I love you, man!" a big burly guy was declaring to a tall, lanky man on the other side of her.

The tall man threw his arms around the other guy, "No, man! I love _you_!"

Wendy's eyes grew wide as she stepped over a couple on the ground. She thought abandoning Lark's tacos so she could flit in the _shadows,_ but forgot about that plan as she came up to the bench where Lark _should_ _have_ been waiting.

Two teenagers pawed at each other, lip-locked in a passionate kiss, but Lark wasn't there.

Panic set in as she kept walking.

"Let's have a baby!" a woman was declaring to the man she was with.

"Right here, right now!" the man replied, smashing his lips into hers.

Wendy diverted her eyes, searching the crowd anxiously for Lark.

He was leaning against a wooden post several booths down from the bench, a wide grin on his face.

"Lark! Are you okay?" Wendy gushed, finally catching up to him.

" _Finally_!" he scolded her, "Where did you go for tacos – Mexico?"

She glanced around her, appalled at the mini-orgy around them, "I thought I saw imps, so I followed them…looks like I was right. What are they _doing_ to these people?!"

Lark looked confused, "Huh?"

She grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the exit, "This is crazy! Where are the security guards?"

Her mouth fell open as she spotted two security guards making out by the exit.

"Oh, you have GOT to be kidding!" she cried out in disgust.

He chuckled, "What – you don't like my handiwork?"

She gawked at him, stunned to silence. His smile faded as he noticed how clearly unamused she was.

"You were gone a long time!" he pointed a finger at her defensively, "I was bored! These people needed help, so I helped them!"

Wendy closed her eyes, counting to 5.

"Why are you angry? Look at them!" Lark threw his hands out to either side, "They're not suffering! This is the happiest some of them have been in years!"

When Wendy opened her eyes, he cringed. They were tinged with red. She stalked to the nearest garbage can, chucking the tacos inside, then returned to grab his hand, yanking him into the _shadows_.

Behind them, declarations of love still rang out amongst the crowd.

* * *

Pretty much the entire room had now resolved to officially join Fairy Tail. Natsu and Lucy still sat, awed as their own children turned to stare at them.

"Very well, then!" Makarov announced, diverting everyone's attention back to the front, "We have a lot of planning to do. My suggestion is to divide our forces into teams. Heaven will be sending reinforcements as their training completes. I would suggest an intelligence team – Levy, Laki, Yukino…you are all specialists in attaining information and research. Do you accept?"

The three ladies nodded immediately.

"Excellent. We'll assign individuals to your team toward the end of the meeting," Makarov told them, "Next…we need a team to take on task A…finding Dan Straight."

Immediately Gajeel and Loke's hands went up.

"Gajeel...Loke...We will assign members to your team as well," Makarov acknowledged, "Lastly, we'll need Team C - a group to go after Larcade Dragneel."

Natsu was biting his lower lip, clearly at war with himself. Lyon, Jellal, Bacchus, and Cana volunteered to head this team. Romeo scanned the crowd, his eyes meeting Natsu's as he raised his hand as well.

Makarov nodded to him, "Okay...we have our divisions. Now let's assign personnel."

By the time the meeting was over, everyone but Natsu and Lucy had been assigned to teams. In addition to the Intelligence Team, which now included most of the former Fairy Tail Earthland, and the Find-Dan-Straight team, Lyon had headed a division for tracking Larcade and Wendy and deflecting any demon teams that might be following them. Another division was set up to set up counter-offensive to deal with the possibility of more demon attacks. The kids were assigned to looking after the Exceeds (or visa-versa…but Makarov wanted them to feel included).

"We will adjourn for tonight!" Makarov called out, "But I just want to say…I am proud of you, my children. Tonight, an unstoppable force has been born. We _will_ achieve our objectives…and we _will_ emerge triumphant…because _we are Fairy Tail_."

Cheers erupted throughout the entire household as each team broke off to discuss their plans on how to tackle their missions.

Lucy and Natsu sat in their chairs, dumbfounded.

"I suppose it can't be said the Angels aren't doing anything now," Lucy said finally.

Natsu sighed, "I know we can't stay mad…I'll feel a lot better when Lark is home though."

She nodded, leaning into his side as Brielle declared the Exceeds would need fresh fish. Four sets of feet thundered to the kitchen.

"So…you're an Angel," she murmured, suddenly feeling very tired.

He shook his head, "I don't remember anything, Luce…I just don't know how that can be true."

Aki glanced at her parents, overhearing their soft comments to each other. Natsu needed to know what happened during his time as an Angel on Earthland…and Aki knew how to give details to him.

"Fairy Tail Exceed!" she called out.

The children gathered around her, listening intently. Happy and Carla wove around their feet. Pantherlily stood at the back of the crowd, his arms crossed.

"I know what our first mission is," Aki told them, her eyes twinkling.

* * *

"I really don't know why you're so mad!" Lark declared, munching on his taco as they stalked through the hotel lobby. He had gone back for the tacos…after his afternoon, he needed the nourishment...and honestly? _Leaving them in the garbage was such a waste!_

"You're messing with abilities," she told him flatly, "Abilities aren't supposed to work like that. You're not supposed to pick two random people and make them turn into horn dogs!"

Lark's mouth fell open, exposing the taco he hadn't finished chewing yet, "What are you talking about? They were all existing couples…or ones that were on the verge of being a 'thing'!"

"You crossed a line, Lark!" she yelled as she passed through the hotel room door, leaving him in the hallway.

Lark fished the key out of his pocket, holding his taco in his mouth until he'd unlocked the door, slamming it behind him as he picked up the fight.

"How is making people happy wrong?" he demanded.

She whirled around, pushing him hard enough on the chest to make him take a step back, "How do you know those people were 'meant' to be together? How do you know your interference hasn't just caused a whole lot of pain and anguish for them?"

"How do you know it will?" Lark countered, "The attraction between every last one of those couples was real! All I did was make them kiss!"

"Kiss!" she scoffed, "Some of those couples weren't just kissing!"

"So what?" Lark demanded, "Maybe now they have a real shot at a relationship! They just needed to take that first step! I _helped_ them take the first step!"

"By kissing?" she mocked, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"Kissing isn't stupid!" Lark remarked.

"It is too!" Wendy insisted, "I've watched human couples! It's just another point of contact. Anyone can kiss anyone and it doesn't mean a damned thing! Just like human sex! People sleep with whoever they want and there's no attachment between them. It's just sex for the sake of sex. Same thing with kissing. It doesn't elicit real feelings...it's just pointless contact."

"That's not true! Look at the home I grew up in!" Lark exclaimed, "My parents are two of the most dedicated people I've ever seen - completely and wholly devoted to each other!"

"I'm just saying - kissing random strangers does not ignite romance. The feelings are temporary. All you did was set those people up for heartbreak. Long lasting relationships grow from compatibility and hard work - and you're right - your parents are prime examples."

"And guess what started their relationship?" Lark mocked, "It started with a kiss! There is nothing wrong with reacting on initial attraction!"

Wendy sighed. He was ridiculously hard to argue with, "It started with the bonding of their souls! I was there, remember? Their souls were connected!"

"Spoken like a person who's never been kissed!" Lark laughed, "And as far as sex goes, I bet you've never done that either."

"Of course not!" Wendy gawked, "But in Heaven, sex is different between two Angels. It's a declaration to the universe that the two souls are bonded to each other. The souls merge and become eternal partners. There is no frivolous sex in Heaven. And when two Angels make the decision to merge their souls, all of Heaven rejoices."

Lark cocked an eyebrow, "And that's your idealization, Wendy? Don't you want to experience it? The connection of pure, raw attraction?"

"It's pointless!" Wendy argued again, "Raw attraction doesn't make you compatible! It doesn't guarantee you've found someone amazing that will support you forevermore. Forever is a long time, you know."

Lark shook his head, smiling like he knew the punchline to some joke, "Wendy...you just don't know, do you?"

"Know WHAT?" she half-yelled, "You just shouldn't make random people kiss! It's ridiculous! It's-"

Lark grabbed her shoulders, pushing her back against the wall, then captured her lips firmly with his own. His eyes were closed as he felt the wave of pure bliss wash over him. Wendy's body froze, her eyes wide open from being caught off-guard. His arms snaked around her waist, the kiss turning from forced to something gentler. He pulled away after almost a minute, both of them panting slightly.

"Totally ridiculous," Lark whispered, hovering centimeters away from her lips, "What _was_ I thinking?"

He pushed himself away from the wall, away from the startled Angel and flashed her a cocky grin. Turning his back on her, Lark let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, pushing down his own surprise at the surge of adrenaline she'd sparked in him. He grabbed his towel from the bed.

"I'm going to take a shower," he said before disappearing through the door. He didn't look back, knowing his face probably looked as flustered as he felt on the inside.

Wendy was still frozen as the door closed behind Lark. She sank to the bed slowly, then started shaking involuntarily. Her fingers brushed her lips where Lark had kissed her. She didn't understand the emotions running through her body. Her blood raced and her heart pounded. It was a like a surge she couldn't control...or identify. More than that, she wanted Lark to come back. She wanted him to do it again. She shuddered at the realization with shock - and complete and total annoyance...

...because he'd just completely proved his point.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sorry it's been awhile! Turns out I came down with viral pneumonia. I have been horribly sick. On the mend now!**_

 _ **We've had some major things happen this chapter! So much tension! So lemme know what you think!**_

 _ **Sly, Larcade...so sly.**_


	33. Chapter 33

_Lark shook his head in disbelief. He'd been nightmare-free for over a week. What was he doing back here… surrounded by scorching infernos… huge earthen hands reaching up to grab at his legs. He yelped, jumping back just as one of the stalagmites narrowly missed him._

 _Lark willed himself to calm his thundering heart. He knew from past nightmares that going along the wall would not allow him to escape the room. He'd been along every wall. He considered his options…what hadn't he tried? He wished he could see. He couldn't tell where he was and he couldn't see an escape. His only recourse had been to depend on someone to wake him up._

 _"WENDY?!" he yelled, "Please Wendy! Wake me up!"_

 _He moved again to keep the hand-like stalagmite growing near him from grabbing onto his body._

 _"WENDY!"_

 _"Larcade," the thunderous voice called out to him._

 _"What do you want from me?" Lark screamed, "Quit trying to scare me - come out and face me!"_

 _He was aware of a roaring in his ears. This was new. He didn't know what it was and he found himself turning rapidly to try to determine its' source._

 _The stalagmites began to form faster, grabbing at his feet and crawling up his body. Lark tried to fight back, kicking and smashing them with his fists._

 _"Run, Larcade," a new voice pleaded with it. It was a distinctly feminine voice…one he'd heard before in real life. Only this time, she sounded desperate. His panic level shot up exponentially._

 _"Mavis?" Lark cried out, "Mavis, where are you?"_

 _"RUN, LARCADE!" his birth mother cried out, further away this time, "Don't look back!"_

 _"MAVIS!"_

 _"Don't look back, Larcade!" she yelled, "You have to run!"_

* * *

"MAVIS!" Lark screamed, sitting straight up in bed.

He was dripping with sweat, his skin reddened from the heat of the cave. His lungs huffed rapidly as he took in his surroundings. He wasn't in the cave anymore. He was back in the hotel room that he shared with Wendy again. There were wounds from the stalagmites on his legs and arms again, some of them bleeding profusely onto the bright white hotel sheets.

He glanced toward the bathroom, trying to regain his composure. Wendy didn't normally use the bathroom, plus the door was open, so he doubted she was in there. He placed his head between his knees, rocking back and forth in the hopes of getting through the anxiety that enveloped his entire body. Mavis's voice echoed in his head. He knew that he should be thankful - if he could hear her voice, she was still alive - but something about the terror lacing her tone chilled him to the bones. The nightmares normally frightened the hell out of him…but this was by far the worst he'd ever had.

He bolted out of bed, ignoring the searing pain in his arms and legs.

"What do I do, Mavis?" he whispered, "I don't know how to help you. I don't know what you want me to do!"

Lark came to the realization that Wendy was no longer in the hotel suite. Lark crumpled into a ball on the floor, his chest heaving as he grabbed a nearby towel, trying desperately to stop the blood that flowed over his lower legs.

New panic gripped him. A small voice told him Wendy would never just 'leave' him, but it did little to alleviate his fear. The facts were, Wendy wasn't in the hotel room, demons were likely chasing them, the nightmares were back, and last night, he'd stolen a kiss from Wendy. It was very possible she was angry at him. It was unlikely but still possible she'd left him. When he'd returned to the bed from his shower, Wendy's back had been turned away. He was convinced she wasn't asleep, but she hadn't turned over to tell him goodnight either.

"Wendy!" he cried out, tears choking his voice, "Where are you?"

He was still panicking and he knew it. He took deep breaths, trying to force himself to calm down. In addition to the terrifying nightmare he'd just had, he was trying to figure out why Wendy wasn't in the room with him. Normally, she would be able to calm him.

Lark forced himself off the bed, stripping it so that the gory mess wouldn't scare Wendy if she came back. He headed to the shower, hoping to get himself together. Maybe warm water would soothe him enough that he could think straight. Hopefully, it would also alleviate the pain from his new wounds. If Wendy hadn't returned by the time he was out of the bathroom, he'd have to come up with a new plan on his own.

* * *

The Dragneel house was already a flurry of activity by 8:00 that morning. The designated teams had shown up at first light to commence the collaborative effort against their imminent threats.

Makarov had split everyone into 4 groups:

 **Team A – _Intelligence Team_** – responsible for collecting intel on the whereabouts of both Dan Straight and Larcade Dragneel, monitoring activity across the city, as well as strategizing counter-measures in the case of a another demonic attack.

 **Team B – _Dan Straight Search Party_** _–_ Self- explanatory. Sting and Rogue issued a public warning that Dan was considered armed and dangerous. They warned the public to alert the Magnolia Police Department immediately if he was spotted.

 **Team C – _Locate Larcade Dragneel Team_** – also self-explanatory. Lyon was mobilizing the team as Natsu and Lucy watched. Lyon had tracked the missing boy and Angel half-way to Onibus before almost getting ambushed by a demon search party who was out for the same purpose. Some of the search team would return to where Lyon had left off, the rest would head straight to Onibus.

 **Team D – _Fairy Tail Exceed Team_**. Natsu didn't actually know what the purpose of this team was, other than to keep an eye on the kids, give them something to do, and get them out of harm's way if something happened. He had approached Happy after the meeting last night and made amends properly. Happy, alongside Carla and another Exceed – Pantherlily – promised him they would single-handedly see to the kids' protection.

"I'm torn," Natsu whispered to Lucy, watching Team C go outdoors to load backpacks for tracking.

"What are you torn about?" Lucy asked wearily, watching as Juvia hugged her former employees for the third time that morning. Between the reunions of Lisanna and Mirajane, and Fairy Tail Earthland's reunion with Juvia, Loke and Aries, Lucy wasn't sure if she had any more tears left to cry.

"I want to go find Lark," Natsu told her, "But I can't leave you."

Lucy took his hand, intertwining their fingers as she leaned on his shoulder, "I'd rather that you go with the team to find him. There's tons of people here. The Intelligence Team is setting up runes around our property. Demons won't be able to set foot here. And there are so many cops around, Dan would be stupid to try anything. As long as the kids and I stay here, we'll be safe."

Natsu sighed unenthusiastically, "We can't stay mad, can we?"

She shook her head, "We need to join the efforts too."

Natsu kissed the top of her head, "I love you, Luce."

Lucy tilted her head, accepting the kiss coming her way, "I love you too, Natsu…now go find our son."

Natsu stood up, his fingers lingering in hers, "I'll bring him home."

She nodded, tears brimming her eyes, "I know."

Winking at her, Natsu stalked outside to the Find Larcade Team, watching her over his shoulder until he disappeared through the door.

Lucy sighed as she stood up, her eyes traveling to where Levy and Mirajane were bent overtop a large map. Lisanna, Laki, Yukino, and Aries were there too, listening intently to whatever Mirajane was saying.

She approached the group slowly, noting the way they froze as they waited for her to speak. Lucy had been livid yesterday. She hadn't talked to anyone other than Natsu and the kids since their last confrontation.

"Lu…" Levy whispered.

Lucy held a hand up, silencing her long-time friend, "It doesn't matter now, Lev. We have some serious goals to accomplish. I can't mope around anymore."

Levy nodded, on the verge of tears.

"I'd like to join you," Lucy stated, locking eyes with Levy, "Natsu and I know the Angels never meant to hurt us…or let things get out of control like they did. It needs to be a collaborative effort from all sides if we're going to find Lark and protect him from the demons. I don't know that I can offer much, but…"

"We'll find him," Levy promised, grabbing both Lucy's hands, "And we'll find Dan too."

"We were just discussing ways to track Lark and Wendy," Mirajane supplied.

"What have you come up with?" Lucy asked, joining the table.

"Angels have a tracking system," Yukino informed her, "It's unlikely Wendy will let Lark use his debit card or his cell phone. Too easily traceable…"

"…but Angels use code names of retired souls," Mira continued, "If Wendy has checked them into a hotel somewhere, she'll use Heaven-provided cash and use the codename…so searching Angels can track her down."

Lucy nodded, "So what's the codename? And do we just randomly call different hotels to find out if that person has checked into their hotel?"

Lisanna shook her head, giving her sister a loving glance, "Mira is going back to Heaven to talk to the Starkeeper."

"Starkeeper…" Lucy repeated.

Laki nodded, "She's the Angel who helps tired souls ascend to the stars when they are ready."

Lucy glanced from face to face, "You've been at this for awhile, haven't you?"

"The Starkeeper should have Wendy's codename…" Mira confirmed, "and I also hope she'll have ideas on how to find Mavis once Lark is safe and Dan is back behind bars."

"So, while Mira is gone," Aries added timidly, "We're going to work on researching strategies to defend ourselves against demon attacks. I'm sorry!"

Lucy nodded her understanding, now caught up on the morning's discussions.

"I…really wish I could take you with me to see the Starkeeper," Mira said softly. She had a sadness in her eyes that Lucy didn't really understand…almost a longing look.

Lucy's eyebrows raised quizzically at Mira's odd comment, but the ladies had already moved on, discussing how to find resources on defending against demon attacks. Lucy put aside her confusion to focus on the trials they faced ahead.

* * *

Aki and her siblings, Sora, Megumi, Ren, and Saichi climbed the stairs of the attic, the Exceeds following close behind.

Sora hadn't been up to the attic before. Attics sort of…creeped her out. She heard noises in the attic at home, but now that she knew that the Angels had a room up there for sleeping…well, she supposed it was time to get over it.

"What are we looking for?" Brielle asked as the children spanned the attic.

Happy, Carla, and Pantherlily stood at the entrance, gawking at the last 16 years of memories piled around them. Happy grinned as he noted the Christmas balls that contained the special moments of their lives together, remembering the day he'd suggested the gift to Natsu. It seemed that their memories had grown exponentially, judging by the 3 boxes of ornaments that lined that walls.

"A book," Aki told them, "Mom wrote a book 16 years ago. It's called the _Angel of Oops_ and there should be a copy up here somewhere. It will help Dad remember his days as an Angel."

"Mom wrote a book about Dad?" Aimi asked, "And neither of them remember that it was written?"

"Mom and Dad know Mom wrote a book," Aki replied, "But they don't know the contents of the book are fact instead of fiction."

The kids nodded, starting to pick through various boxes.

"Aki – why do Mom and Dad have an entire box of rubber chickens?" Haru frowned.

Ren snorted, "Our parents have a box in their attic too."

Sora hummed, "And at our house too. There must be a story behind it. We'll have to ask our parents about it."

The others nodded, going back to silent digging.

"SON OF A MOTHERLESS GOAT!" Mieske screamed, scrambling backward from the picture he'd just uncovered, "What in the hell is that?!"

"Mieske – language!" Brielle scolded as all the kids rushed to see what he'd found.

It was a painting…of an owl. A seriously _creepy_ owl with a huge, piercing eye.

"That thing is…terrifying," Saichi whispered, Like it's looking into the depths of my soul!"

"It's signed by LH," Hansuke added, noting the signature, "Why would Mom and Dad keep such a…horrifying painting?"

"There's another one behind it," Aimi commented, "It's a dragon…it's actually pretty good. Signed by ND…Natsu Dragneel?"

"Of course!" Connor exclaimed, "LH – Lucy Heartfilia! The Dragneel children make a brilliant deduction once again!"

Happy grinned, proud of his children. Pantherlily and Carla both rolled their eyes.

Mieske unwrapped a blanket covering something in the corner of the attic.

"Why do Mom and Dad have _this_?" he exclaimed.

Haru put his hand on Mieske's shoulder, studying the long, golden pole, "I have no idea. Our parents are weird."

"What is it?" Hansuke asked.

The pole was 7 or 8 feet long, a solid, shiny gold from top to bottom.

"Never mind," Sora suggested, "It's not what we're looking for."

She moved on to another box, the other children following suit.

"Aki…" Sora whispered. She was looking at a photo album, "You're all so little in here."

"That's the day that we brought Lark and the twins home from the orphanage forever," Aki pointed to the first official family photo. Lark, the twins, and Aki there with a younger Natsu and a very pregnant Lucy.

"I remember that," Haru said softly.

"Hansuke was born not long afterward," Aimi added, "So many memories. Look – do you remember? Our first trip to Crocus…for your dance recital. Connor made Dad ride the elevator until he passed out."

Haru laughed, "We got moved to the bottom floor because the hotel staff felt so bad for us."

"And check this out!" Hansuke cut in, pointing to another picture, "Big Happy."

The children sighed, remembering Big Happy and its untimely demise. Big Happy was the Nerf gun that Natsu had commandeered to help him in all-out Nerf wars with his children. Unfortunately for Natsu, Big Happy got crushed underneath the riding lawn mower one day…Lark hadn't been careful to check for things in the grass before mowing it.

"We should really get Dad another one," Connor lamented.

"We will," Mieske said decidedly, "When Lark gets home."

The children exchanged forlorn glances.

"What if he doesn't come home?" Brielle asked Aki quietly. Her lower lip trembled as she fought to maintain her composure.

"He'll come home," Aki assured her, lightly massaging her shoulders.

"But what if he doesn't?" Brielle shook her head, tear drops dripping down onto her shirt, "The adults said yesterday that demons are after him. What if they got him? What if he's hurt? What if…"

"Brielle," Aimi whispered, placing a reassuring hand on Brielle's shoulders, "Please don't cry."

"He _will_ be home," Sora assured her, "Anyone who knows Lark knows that he loves his family and friends. He won't stay away."

Brielle collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face, "But what if he _can't_ come, Sora?"

Aki leaned down beside her sister, "Lark will find a way, Bri…"

The group fell silent as Aki, Sora, and Aimi worked to calm Brielle down. All of them had similar thoughts, but nobody was willing to voice them. Negativity was not an option.

"I can't believe he's an Angel too," Mieske murmured, "Him and Dad."

"He's an Angel," Carla agreed, "But he's still your brother."

"I'm an Angel and you still love me!" Happy chimed in.

"You're an Exceed," Hansuke ruffled Happy's fur, "but you're right – we definitely still love you."

"Do you think he's thinking about us?" Brielle asked softly, the tears starting to subside.

Aimi hugged her little sister again, "Of course he is, Bri."

"He's all alone," Brielle choked out.

Aki fought tears that threatened to spill from her eyes, working doubly hard to control them as Sora squeezed her shoulder supportively, tears in her eyes too. Brielle wiped her face with her hands, sobbing lightly.

"The Angels have a team going after him. And he has that Angel with him – Wendy," Hansuke reminded her, "He's not alone."

The children huddled together silently.

"I wish Daisuke was here," Megumi whispered, "He'd know where to look."

"C'mon," Sora suggested softly, finally wiping the last of her tears away, "We have a lot of attic to cover. We need to find that book."

The other kids nodded, separately silently as they resumed their search.

* * *

"There's enough of us on this team that we will have two search groups," Lyon stated.

Team C, AKA – Team Find Lark, were huddled around the picnic table in the backyard. Each person had a backpack with compasses and other gear that would help them track in the forest.

"One team will go ahead to Onibus, since that's where you think they're headed," Jellal determined.

"We'll need an even number of Angels to go with each team in case we run into demons," Gray cut in, "At least until the Intelligence team can come up with a solid idea to give humans a fighting chance."

Juvia stepped closer to Gray. Whichever way the teams were divided, she preferred to stay with him.

Natsu appeared at the edge of the group, watching intently, his own backpack slung low across his shoulders.

"Natsu…"Jellal greeted, "Have you come to join us?"

Natsu nodded slowly, "Lucy and I need to help, whether we agree with your tactics or not."

Jellal nodded, gesturing to an empty spot around the table. Natsu took the spot between Bacchus and Romeo, leaning in as they discussed how to split the teams.

"Lark will appear to either myself or Natsu," Cana put in, "even if Wendy has taught him abilities like _conceal_. So we should be on different teams."

"So," Gray suggested, "How about you join Lyon in the forest with Bacchus, Virgo, Sorano, Ezel, Minerva and Romeo? Jellal, Juvia, Midnight, Natsu and I can head to Onibus."

Jellal nodded, "Sounds reasonable to me. Any objections?"

Sorano and Ezel shook their heads. Both had gone to receive their crash-course training after escorting Virgo and Lisanna back from the spa.

"I'd like to go to the city too!" Romeo interjected suddenly, startling some with his outburst.

Lyon shrugged, "I don't have a problem with that."

"What do we do if we find them?" Bacchus asked, "Or worse, if we run into demons?"

"We'll use our phones to keep in touch," Gray told him, "Angels can travel quickly…in either scenario."

Natsu looked over at Romeo, realizing he was staring at him…and had been for several minutes.

"You okay, partner?" Natsu asked, putting a hand on his back as Team C started for their respective vehicles.

Romeo was far from okay. His mind was warring as he ran Natsu and the Angels' behaviours through his mind repeatedly. Could they really be evil?

"I'm fine, man," Romeo replied, offering a wide grin, "Let's go find your son."

* * *

"Drum roll, please!" Rogue said out loud, pounding the table repeatedly, then clanging the metal backing of the chair in place of his non-existent symbol.

The Intelligence Team and present members of the Magnolia Police Department paused what they were doing, glancing up to where Rogue wore his proud grin.

"I would like to introduce to you the latest members of the Magnolia Police Department," Rogue told them, a cheeky grin on his face, "Please welcome Officers Gajeel, Loke, Erza, Erik and Laxus!"

The women of the Intelligence Team gawked, the officers hooting and hollering as each Angel appeared one by one. Gajeel looked quite at home in his tailored police uniform. Loke and Erik's fit fine, but Erza's was too tight in the bust and Laxus's was obviously too small, his biceps threatening to tear the shirt apart.

"Damn!" Yukino drooled, "I really hope when this is over, you'll all consider staying on the force."

"I'm telling Sting you said that!" Rogue snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at her.

The ladies giggled, completely unfazed.

"So, what's your plan?" Levy asked.

"We're going to find Dan," Gajeel stated flatly, "by any means necessary."

"We're checking into the surveillance cameras around town," Yukino told the other officers, "We'll be visiting the shops and showing them pictures of Dan, getting his face back out there. If we can get him on camera somewhere, we'll have a place to start looking."

"Dan is unstable," Aries said, her voice quivering, "He was rejected by the demons and he was insulted by the fact that they wouldn't take him with them. I'm sorry!"

"So, the question is…" Erza cut in, "Where would a man who has nothing left in the world go to hide out?"

"I don't think he's left Magnolia," Rogue concurred, "Not when every officer in the country is looking for him and there's a public warning out against him."

"He has no friends here," Jet added, "And no money."

"When I was searching this alley before, there was more than one scent," Gajeel screwed up his nose, "He's not alone. And I have smelled that one scent before. I know I have. I just need to remember where."

"We'll let you know what we find out," Lisanna promised, turning back to the project the Intelligence team was currently working on.

Rogue nodded, leading the officers out the door. It was time to go on patrol.

* * *

Wendy flipped the brown hair of her wig back over her shoulder, thanking the proprietor for the to-go breakfast she'd picked up for Lark. She sighed heavily, heading back out to the street.

She wasn't ready to face him. Lark had caught her off guard last night, forcing a kiss on her that she both did and did not want. He confused her. She had always found him attractive, but that did not account for the things he made her feel when he'd kissed her. It was not her job to be attracted to Lark and Wendy had never had problems in the past with keeping her priorities straight. She couldn't make sense of her emotions at all.

"Priorities first," she said out loud.

They needed to get out of Onibus. She had been walking for a couple hours, unable to sleep. But Lark should be awake by now and it was time to go back to the hotel room, whether she was ready or not. The sooner they got on the road, the better she'd feel that they wouldn't be located by lurking demons. She grabbed a map from a magazine stand, thinking it might be good to cross the country and settle in one of the harbour towns until help could get to them. The port towns would also be their best chance in case they had to scatter their trail overseas, although she hoped it would not come to that. Lark would not be swayed easily to leave the country.

Contacting help would be the next priority. Wendy had given the code name at the hotel, so if the Angels could somehow look at the registrar, they'd know Lark and Wendy had been there. But they needed to contact Jellal _sooner_ than that. She needed guidance. Wendy had been asking Jellal for more responsibility…but now that she had it, her confidence was waning. Would she be able to protect Lark if the demons found them? She felt stronger with the training she'd received…but if they were outnumbered…

She walked through the halls of the hotel with her head down, deep in thought. As she arrived at the door of the room she and Lark shared, she took a deep breath, entering with as little noise as she could muster.

"Lark?" she called.

She could hear the shower running.

Wendy placed the breakfast on the small table beside the bed, frowning as she saw the wad of sheets thrown into the corner of the room. She sat on the corner of the bed, waiting patiently for him to come out of the shower.

He was toweling off his hair as he exited the bathroom. He wore only his black jeans, naked from the chest up. Wendy closed her eyes, willing herself not to stare.

"Wendy!" he exclaimed as he saw her, the relief evident in his voice, "You're back!"

"I didn't go far," she murmured, "Get dressed and get your things. There's some breakfast for you on the table. We need to leave Onibus today."

"Why?" Lark asked.

"Yesterday when I was getting your tacos, I thought I saw a demon trail," Wendy replied, the agitation in her voice evident, "It was a false alarm, but we need to keep moving."

Lark nodded solemnly, noting how she wouldn't look at him in the eye, "Are you still mad at me?"

Wendy didn't reply, getting up to throw their belongings in a backpack she'd picked up.

"Wendy…"

"Go get dressed, Lark!"

Lark stared at her for another minute, but she refused to look at him, shoving things into the backpack instead. He sighed, hobbling back to the bathroom. His legs burned with pain, screeching across his body like hot fire.

Wendy didn't seem to notice his discomfort. She was still angry…all signs pointed toward today being a _very_ long day.

* * *

Mirajane approached the door to the darkened cottage, hesitating before she knocked on the door. The Starkeeper would already have a general idea of what was going on, she had no doubt about that. She wondered if she knew about Mavis though. Mira knew it was unlikely. She'd have presented herself to Makarov immediately if she'd known.

She held her hand back, mentally preparing herself to knock. It wasn't that the occupant was unfriendly...but she _was_ a loner.

The Starkeeper's job was to guide Angels to the stars when their souls got tired. Very few Angels had held this job as long as Layla Heartfilia had. It took a special, compassionate soul to help Angels fall asleep for eternity...a job most Angels shied away from, preferring a less solitary job like growing things or looking after wildlife.

She paused, hearing sounds in the distance, then a vibrant glow. Glittering purple Aura shone in a large stream up to the Heavenly bodies above. Mira crouched behind some wild flowers in the garden, watching.

"Be at peace," Layla told the elder Angel, "Take your place in the stars and watch over us."

The elder Angel bowed to her, Layla placing her hands on his head. Mira watched the Angel body fall to the ground, but his essence sparkled, ascending up the purple path.

Layla watched him go, her hands extended, "Thank you, Elder, for your service to Heaven and Earthland."

Mira's eyes grew wide as the essence of the elder burst away, traveling so fast Mira could hardly follow it with her eyes. He came to rest billions of kilometres away, high overhead. There was a quiet moment before a burst of energy lit the sky - a brilliant, glistening explosion that filled the eternal twilight with vibrant color.

Only a pure ball of light was left behind, pulsing quietly like a steady heartbeat, a new star to shine on in the sky and watch peacefully over the Heavens and Earth for eternity. Mira felt a wave of bliss envelop her and for a moment forgot the reason she had journeyed so far to be here.

Layla stooped down beside the body, placing her hands on it. The body disintegrated, the particles floating away with the wind.

"Have you seen it done before?" Layla asked the shadows around her, "Seen a soul take its' place with the Celestials?"

Mira stepped out nervously, shaking her head, but keeping her eyes fixed on the new star, "No. It was...beautiful."

"Some Angels find my job morbid," Layla smiled, "But the idea of existing forever...it's tiring. When a soul is ready to rest, I find it gratifying to help them."

"And they're not truly dead, right?" Mira asked, thinking back on the stories that passed amongst Angels.

Layla shook her head, "As long as their stars twinkle, they're watching the universe."

"Can they come back down...if they feel their souls are rested?" Mira asked in awe.

The older Angel shook her head, reminding Mira again of Lucy, "It's only happened 5 times. Usually when an Angel joins the stars, they are at peace. We can call on their memories for guidance, but their essence remains at rest to watch over us."

"So…the instructors that were called down from the sky to teach the Angels Abiltiies…?" Mira questioned.

"Memory images," Layla confirmed, "Holograms, really. Their essences remained in their stars, but we borrowed their memories for training."

Mira nodded, absorbing the information with fascination.

"But the 5 came back down?" Mira asked.

Layla smiled, taking Mira's hands, "The five descended to defend Earthland against a rising in the underworld. When a soul is at peace, their Heavenly power builds. They become very powerful. In normal circumstances, the Angel soul distributes their built power to envelope the universe in love and light. You may have noticed it when the Elder ascended just now. Bad things still happen on Earthland, but the miracles - sometimes the ones that go unnoticed - the Angel star souls are responsible for those."

"So… the five," Mira said quietly, "What happened to them?"

"They were reincarnated," Layla responded, "as newborns on Earthland after the threat was vanquished. Some of them have passed on from their human lives again. Three are left on Earthland though. Their souls await the next uprising of the demons of Hell."

Mirajane looked down at her hands, turning away from Layla to contemplate how to word her request.

"It's time again, isn't it, Mirajane Strauss?"

Mira stepped forward, getting her first close up look at the beautiful Angel. It shocked her just how much she looked like Lucy. She hadn't aged, still appearing around 30 - the age at which she'd died. It shouldn't have shocked her – on Earthland, Lucy was 40, but she didn't appear more than 30 either.

Mira nodded curtly.

"My daughter…"

Mira's face contorted with anxiety, "I…didn't tell her I was coming to see you. The Angels have come out to the humans, but I wasn't sure it was a good idea to tell her you're the Starkeeper. Lucy is confused and angry. She's safe for now, but her son - Mavis's son – he's in a lot of trouble."

"Mavis's son," Layla murmured.

"And Mavis too," Mira added, "We don't know where she is…the demons took her."

Layla took in a sharp breath, biting her lower lip as she absorbed this before nodding. She reached for Mira's hand, "Will you come back to the cottage and tell me about it? I'll make you a cup of tea."

Mira took her hand, squeezing it lightly, "Yes please."

* * *

Daisuke scowled as the black-haired nurse with the round eyeglasses scolded him with her eyes to stay still.

"Just another few seconds!" she told him.

There was a beep on the monitor. The nurse removed the thermometer from Daisuke's mouth, nodding curtly, the blood pressure cuff finally deflating.

"Yes, yes…. That's a normal temperature," she announced, turning to look at the blood pressure monitor reading, "And your blood pressure is good. You're getting better, Daisuke!"

He sighed with relief, "Good enough to get out of here?"

She shook her head, readjusting his pillows for him, "I wouldn't say that. You still have to see the ophthalmologist about that eye and the doctor wants to be sure your side isn't going to bleed anymore."

"But I've stayed up all day!" Daisuke protested, "I haven't had a nap once!"

She hummed, shrugging slightly, "Yes, yes…I know you're feeling better…but it's only noon, so that can't be considered all day…and the doctor says it's still too early to leave."

"I ate my breakfast on my own!" Daisuke complained, "And I haven't slurred my speech at all."

The raven-haired nurse laughed, "You also haven't talked to anyone but me and breakfast was a piece of toast! You're cute, Daisuke Cheney…but the answer is still no."

He pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Tell you what," the nurse conceded, "For the price of one of your smiles, I'll ask the doctor if we can lose the IV lines. The antibiotics can be given orally…and you _did_ eat breakfast this morning. Eat all of your lunch and I'll approach Dr. Porlyusica about it when I see her this afternoon and try to convince her that you should be released to recover at home."

Daisuke nodded, sighing dramatically as she fluffed his pillows for him one more time.

The nurse grinned, taking her clipboard as she left the room.

Daisuke glanced over to his phone…his silent phone. Nobody had called him today. Nobody had stopped by. He was beginning to wonder what was going on. Mira had said that Fairy Tail was coming together to neutralize the threats that faced Magnolia. He had known that his parents were being recruited to help – and he knew that was probably why Sora and Aki hadn't been by either. He glanced down at the navy tattoo on his bicep – the one Mira had stamped on him. He wanted to help too. He needed to get out of the hospital as soon as possible.

"C'mon, Lark," he whispered, "Call me already."

* * *

Out in the hallway, Nurse Daphne stopped at the nursing station, writing notes in her chart.

"Nothing yet," she murmured as a purple-haired woman passed her in the hallway, the white streak in her hair glinting under the fluorescent lights.

"Don't let him leave," the woman told her, "We need to keep him isolated for as long as it takes. The boy will reach out eventually."

"Yes, yes," Daphne bowed, "I have surveillance set up in his room as of yesterday. I'm keeping a close watch on him."

The purple-haired woman continued down the hallways, "Excellent. I'll be in touch."

* * *

Lyon paused, holding his hand up for the troops behind him to still.

"This is where I lost the trail earlier," he told them as he pointed off to a nearby path, "Lark and Wendy's trail grows cold here…and that's where the demons were walking. I left at that point. If they had figured out I was there, I'd have a helluva job fighting them off on my own."

He frowned, staring at the path intently.

"What is it?" Cana asked, noting the solemn look on his face.

"Lark and Wendy's trail grew cold…but I can still pick up pieces of the demon trail," Lyon told them.

Bacchus, Cana, and Virgo exchanged glances.

"I can't read Aura like Erik does," Minerva put in, "But I see it too. Do we follow it?"

"I can guess where they're going," Bacchus growled, "And they've had quite the head start. We need to get to Onibus. Call the others and check in with the Intelligence Team. Let them know what we found."

* * *

Gray and Juvia held hands as they followed the rest of the team through the streets of Onibus.

"Anything?" he asked Midnight.

"There are so many Auras here," Midnight sighed, "But it wouldn't matter anyway. Not even I can detect _conceal."_

Natsu pointed down the street, "There's a carnival street thingamabob down that way. If I know my boy, he won't sit quietly. Things like that attract him."

Jellal nodded, "Let's check it out."

* * *

"So Daisuke got in trouble for it and I didn't!" Lark laughed.

He turned to Wendy, who was leaned up against the window, staring at the scenery. She wore her brown wig so that she could carry the backpack with their belongings. They'd boarded a train about an hour ago, leaving Onibus behind. Wendy had found a window seat well away from other passengers to sit at.

"Oh, c'mon! That was a funny story, Wendy!"

Wendy didn't reply, making Lark sigh loudly.

"I will _poke_ you!" he threatened.

"You won't if you don't want a black eye," she murmured.

He frowned, then shook it off, "Challenge accepted. I don't think you can give me a black eye while I'm in _conceal_."

He poked her in the ribs, making her squeal. She batted his hand away, then continued to stare out the window. She didn't see him flinch, cringing at the contact with the hand a stalagmite had grabbed.

He took a few deep breaths, letting the pain pass before making another attempt at getting Wendy's attention.

"Wennnnndy!" Lark quipped, poking her sides again.

Wendy didn't flinch.

"Back off, Lark."

"Did you know if you cup your ears the right way, you can make a farting noise?" he asked, straight-faced.

Wendy still didn't react.

"Well, we've left town…we're not in Onibus anymore. Now we're Onitrain."

He sighed, screwing his face up with determination. He could make anyone laugh when he wanted to. Wendy never had a problem laughing at his jokes before.

"I wrote a song about a tortilla," he smiled, "Wanna hear it? It's actually more of a wrap."

No reaction. Lark took a deep breath, releasing his next attempt to make her laugh in one breath.

"A guy goes to the doctor: 'Please help me doc. I have this horrible blinking in my right eye that I just can't control.' Doctor replies, 'Ah come on, it's not as bad as you think.' The guy shakes his head, horror crossing his face as he responds, 'Oh, you think?! Every time I go to the pharmacy to get some painkillers, they give me condoms!' "

Lark leaned back, awaiting a response…a glare… _anything._ He ran his hands down his legs, wishing away the numbing, yet searing, pain.

"Did you hear about the kidnapping at school?" he asked.

Wendy shook her head, but refused to look at him.

"It's okay," Lark told her, his eyes alight, "He woke up."

Wendy rolled her eyes, continuing to stare at the scenery.

"I went to a hypnotist the other night…he hypnotized 7 people, then dropped the mic on his foot and yelled 'FUCK ME'! What happened next will traumatize me for the rest of my life."

Wendy was trying to control her temper. His lame attempts to get her to laugh were only making her angrier. He wanted to shove it all under the rug...forget about it...go on without taking responsibility for what he'd done. Typical Lark.

"I got an invite to a wedding once," Lark quipped, "It said it was 'black tie only'...but when I got there, everyone else was in tuxedos."

Wendy glared at him, opening her mouth to speak.

"Wendy…" Lark said softly. He wasn't sure if the ice was broken enough, but it was time to try to talk to her, "Look...I-"

"You crossed the line, Lark!" Wendy yelled, interrupting him. She lowered her voice, surprised at how forceful it had been, "You had no business interfering with those people at the fair! You made a mockery of everything that Angels stand for!"

She glanced up and down the train car, satisfied that no one had heard her outburst. She'd chosen seats well away from other passengers. They were pretty much alone in the car, but that didn't mean she shouldn't take precautions.

"Angels do not pick random people and make them kiss! That's not how the universe works! People are not predestined, and it takes a trained eye to see which two people should be pushed together - not _thrown_ together because you saw an attraction that may or may not have been real!"

Lark fidgeted nervously. Wendy had never yelled at him before. More than that, he could see the pain and anger on her face. She slumped back into her seat, her facial expression changing to utter defeat.

"But that wasn't the worst part...you violated me," she whispered, "You made me nothing more than an object to prove your point. Except you failed. Because your point was that kissing can instigate feelings. You don't..."

Her voice trailed off as she turned her head away from him, staring out the window again.

Lark froze, his face contorting to regretful anguish. He leaned back in his seat too, turning from her slightly. He honestly didn't know what to do. People never held grudges against him for long. But Wendy was right in a lot of ways. He _had_ crossed a line.

The horrendous silence overtook Lark's thoughts. He hated silence...it left too much room for deep thinking. He hated tension...especially because Wendy was his only companion at the moment. He hated that it was _Wendy_ that was angry at him. Of all the souls on Earthland, he realized she was the one that he didn't want to offend...and yet, here they were. Wendy couldn't even look at him.

Worse, he didn't know how to fix it.

* * *

"That uniform is damned sexy," Gajeel chuckled.

"Shut the hell up," Laxus snarled, ripping the sleeves off both sides. He sighed contentedly, his biceps finally freed from their confines.

"Shut up - both of you," Erza ordered, "Gajeel…do you smell anything?"

Gajeel paused, lifting his nose to the wind, "I think it's Taco Tuesday at the mall. All I can smell are tacos."

Rogue chuckled, then turned red when his stomach growled.

"Is there a way to tell who was with Dan when he escaped?" he asked to cover up his embarrassment, "You said you've smelled their scent before. Was it a Fairy Tail member?"

"No," Gajeel shook his head, "It's a unique stench. I'm trying to remember where and when I've smelled it before."

"Was it at Fairy Tail?" Loke asked.

Gajeel shook his head, his gaze settling between Erik and Laxus.

"It was _you,"_ he said decidedly.

"Us?" Erik exclaimed, "Why would we have anything to do with Dan's escape?"

"You didn't," Gajeel said in a low voice, "I smelled the stench coming off of both you before though. Someone you came into contact with maybe."

Erik and Laxus exchanged glances.

"I was down for the count for awhile," Laxus told him, "So maybe it was Church of Alverez?"

"No," Gajeel shook his head, "That's not it."

" _When_ did you smell it on us?" Erik asked, "You're telling us it's a second-hand smell…"

"Let's go back to Fairy Tail," Erza suggested, "Maybe the scent still lingers if it was that strong."

They nodded to each, breaking for the squad car.

* * *

"I think I've found it," Saichi said in awe.

The other kids froze, watching as she moved a few more things in the box she was looking through, then held up a brown covered bound book. ' _Angel of Oops'_ was written in gold letters across the top.

Aki dropped papers back into the box she'd been searching through, crossing the attic to take the book from Saichi.

"This is it," she said in wonder.

"It's certainly nothing special to look at," Carla murmured as everyone gathered in to look at it.

"No, but it will have some of the answers we're looking for," Haru ventured to surmise, "It will tell us who Dad is."

"So what do we do with it?" Happy asked, "It's a big book…we can't read all of it right now."

"Why not?" Sora countered, "Team Exceed doesn't really have a mission. The adults more or less stuck us together to keep us out of the way. Maybe we could learn something from it. Something that can help."

Aki nodded, sitting down in an old armchair, thumbing through the first pages to get to the first chapter, "I agree."

Pantherlily exchanged glances with the other Exceeds, then ushered the kids to sit at Aki's feet and settle in for the most important storytime of their lives.

* * *

Jellal scanned the grounds of the market, the hair standing up on the back of his neck.

"I feel it too," Juvia murmured, standing a little closer to Gray.

"What?" Romeo asked, "What do you feel?"

"There are demons are here," Natsu told him, balling his fists as the red glint flickered in his eyes.

"But not Lark or Wendy," Midnight surmised as he too scanned the grounds for Aura.

Gray growled as the air temperature dipped a few degrees, "They're close, Jellal. What do we do? We can get into _conceal_ , but we can't protect Natsu or Romeo from being seen."

Jellal glanced down at his cell phone, "Lyon's group didn't find anything in the forest. They'll be here shortly. Let's reconvene with them on the other side of town. We don't want a confrontation now. The longer we avoid it, the better."

"Why?" Romeo asked, fully aware that he was the only full human on the team, "Why don't you go duke it out with them now?"

"Because we don't know if Lark and Wendy are somewhere nearby," Juvia told him, "It's better if the demons don't know we're here. The longer we can keep from confrontation, the better chance we have of finding Lark and Wendy without being followed."

Romeo nodded slowly, his eyes searching the crowd. An eerie feeling poured through his body as the Angels disappeared one by one into the shadows.

"Walk for the entrance," Jellal's voice told him, "Don't hurry."

Romeo kept his head high, heading for the gates of the fair grounds.

He couldn't help but notice the tall, red-haired security guard, licking her lips seductively at him as he passed through the gate, wavering on her feet when she stepped back to allow him to pass.

* * *

Lark had never been so glad to get off a train in his life. They'd been on the blasted thing for about 14 hours, finally arriving in a tiny town – Gallowstown - on the other side of Fiore. At some point, he'd drifted off to sleep, but the awake hours were spent trying not to make eye contact with Wendy…or accidentally shift against her…or even breathe in her direction. Wendy didn't offer to find him something to eat. Twice his stomach had growled and twice it went unheeded.

She booked them in to the nearest hotel, using the same name she'd used in Onibus to check in. She used the cash that Heaven provided to the Angels, then put a few dollars into the vending machine for granola bars. She lead Lark wordlessly up the stairs to their 2nd floor room.

He couldn't stand the tension anymore.

"I'm going to have a shower," he muttered, noting how much dingier the room was than the last one she'd gotten for them.

By the time Lark got out of the shower, Wendy had crawled into bed, facing the wall. That was pretty much what Lark had expected. She'd been ignoring him and giving him one-word answers all day. Why would she want to talk now?

Worse, he knew what he'd done wrong…and no amount of joking around or tickling her was going to make it okay. He needed to apologize.

She wasn't sleeping. He knew because the telltale signs of her soft sighs of true sleep were absent from the air.

He sat on the edge of his side of bed, slipping on his pajama bottoms so that she wouldn't be uncomfortable. Sighing heavily, he decided the best way to apologize, yet get her to see where he was coming from, was to speak directly from his heart.

"I woke up to a nightmare this morning," he said softly, "It…was the worst one I've ever had. The stalagmites scratched the _hell_ outta my legs and arms. They've been burning all day."

He waited for a reaction, not surprised when she didn't so much as flinch.

"The man's voice…he called to me…but that wasn't the part that scared me, Wendy. It was the fact that I could hear Mavis telling me to run," Lark paused, taking a deep breath, "I don't know where she wants me to run. I don't know _how_ to run from that room. I've tried everything to stop my nightmares. _I never escape the room._ The worst part of all, though...was that you weren't there when I woke up. You weren't in the hotel room at all. I had a massive anxiety attack, which is why I was in the shower when you got back."

He hesitated, toweling off his hair for a moment before grabbing a t-shirt. He really _didn't_ want her to feel awkward anymore. For awhile, he'd enjoyed confusing her with the sexual tension by slipping into bed shirtless or in his underwear. But after last night's kiss, it was undeniably clear that she was horrified by it. He didn't want her to be horrified around him. He didn't want her to disappear again.

Lark couldn't deny it anymore…he _liked_ Wendy. He cared about what she thought. He wanted her attention…but not the way he'd taken it the night before.

"I'm not telling you this to guilt trip you," he said softly, "I know why you're mad. I've confused the hell outta you. I still won't apologize for helping the people at the docks. I swear to you – I did what I did with good intentions – and not on a whim either. I listened to them…heard their needs like it was a part of who I am. If I did something wrong, it's simply because I don't know any better. It's not like I've been trained in what Angels do. That said, I _did_ force a kiss on you. And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

He took a deep breath, biting his own tongue as he contemplated his next words, "But you're wrong, Wendy. I didn't use you as an object. The respect I have for you...the fun we have together...the way that I feel when I look at you...it was all in that kiss. I _do_ care about you...and it did mean something to me."

He paused again, crawling underneath the covers. He took a sharp breath, maneuvering carefully and deliberately to avoid jarring his wounds. He turned so that they were back to back – with a good foot of space between them.

"It's my own fault you weren't there this morning," he said softly, "It's my own fault if you're never there for me again. I'm really sorry, Wendy. I swear to you…I won't kiss you again…not unless you ask me."

Wendy cringed as she heard the anxiety in his voice. She wondered if he understood that she hadn't ignored him because she was mad so much as confused. Of course, _she was mad…_ But the larger piece to the puzzle was that she didn't know how to handle the feelings that he'd sparked in her. His speech hadn't helped matters. If anything, she was more confused than ever.

Lark had gone quiet. She stopped breathing, trying to identify if he'd fallen asleep. The bed shook slightly, so she knew he hadn't. He was…shaking?

Wendy glanced down to his legs, covered by his pajama bottoms.

 _He wasn't shaking. He was in pain_.

 _Lark had said that he'd been injured with the nightmare._

She sat up on the bed, moving down to his feet. He froze as she slowly pulled his pajama bottom leggings up, but did not turn to face her. Wendy gasped, horrified by the quantity and depth of the cuts on his legs. She laid her hands on them immediately, pouring her healing into him. She could hear him wince, shame flooding her body as she realized just how much he must have endured all day because he was afraid to ask her for help.

Her hands traveled up his thighs, following the horrific scratches and gouges into his skin. She finished with his forearms, the blue healing Aura dissipating. It left a warmth behind…calmness and peace.

She laid back down beside him silently, extremely upset with herself for being so awful to him all day.

"Thank you," he whispered.

His voice was strained.

Wendy took a deep breath, knowing he was probably afraid to go to sleep. Slowly, she maneuvered her body so that her chest was flush with his back, then slid her arm down the length of his, enveloping him in her arms. She marveled at how their bodies contoured, fitting together perfectly as she spooned him. She felt his body shudder, trying to control his anxiety, then buried her face in his shoulder blade. She lifted her fingers and he sighed contentedly as she gently massaged his temples, then his forehead, before finally dropping her arms around his waist again, securely fastening him into her arms.

Lark spread his fingers apart, starting to reach for her hand, then hesitated. Her heart broke again, her guilt twisting like a knife. He was so unsure of himself now that she'd blatantly pushed him away.

She reached for his hand and intertwined her fingers with his, stroking his palm with her thumb.

She felt him shudder for another few minutes or so, slowly relaxing. It wasn't long afterwards that she heard his soft snores.

Wendy closed her eyes, engrossed in the feeling of being so close to Lark's body. She really didn't understand her feelings…why they were so intense, nor why they instigated such compassion for the silly doofus beside her. He was just an assignment, like every other assignment she'd had in the past.

It was then that she realized Lark had never been 'just an assignment'. Lark was important to her. She liked his laugh and the way he tried to make the atmosphere light all the time. She liked the way he brushed his bangs out of his eyes when he was trying to be serious. She even found the way he joked around endearing...possibly because she'd seen what was underneath the exterior. Lark was vulnerable and sometimes he suffered from severe anxiety. That alone instilled a new feeling within Wendy...one that made her want to protect him on a different level than keeping him out of the demons' clutches. No, she wanted to protect him for an entirely different reason that even she couldn't completely identify.

She really couldn't make sense of these feelings at all.

* * *

 _ **A/N: AGH! Another intense LarWen moment! Ryezheld and I had fun playing with the ship name - and we both agreed it worked.**_

* * *

 ** _I don't usually voice my personal opinions on here, but something happened this week that I feel strongly about commenting on._**

 _ **Very recently, a friend of mine decided to leave the Fandom due to the declining morality. This is her decision and I know it was a hard one for her to make.**_

 _ **Unfortunately, multiple readers saw it an an opportunity to not only insult her decision, but attack her very essence. She has been called names, been called a hypocrite, and torn apart emotionally to the point where she is depressed in real life.**_

 _ **I am so sad for this. The fandom lost a great author. I know this person and I share a lot of readers - thank you to those that left supportive messages.**_

 _ **As for the people who felt it necessary to degrade her, mock her, and destroy her self-worth, they have proven her point.**_ _ **It's okay to not agree with a person's decision. It is**_ **NOT _okay to destroy her self-esteem._** _ **Fairy Tail is a guild based on morals and loyalty. Some of the fandom has lost sight of that.**_

 _ **To any new authors dawning on the horizon, I would encourage you to stay true to your story. There will be haters out there at times. Their opinion does not change who you are. Be confident. Take a chance. Hold your head high. There are a lot of extremely good people in this fandom...do not let a few haters ruin you.**_

 _ **Earlier this week, I reposted Angel of Oops with an announcement that Oops 2 and Before I Get Gray will be my last large stories. I'm not leaving the fandom, per se, but I feel Natsu's story as the Angel of Oops will have been told when I'm done with this story. It's time to retire.**_ _ **I am overwhelmed with the amazing readers that follow my stories. Thank you from the bottom of my heart**_ _ **.** **If I haven't mentioned it lately, Guest reviews are always read and appreciated. I can't reply to you, but I always read your comments. That said, we're only about 2/3 of the way through Oops 2. I won't be retiring for awhile. :D**_

 _ **I have met a lot of really amazing people here that I am proud to call my friends. Be good to each other. Build each other up.**_

 _ **Thank you, everyone for your support, comments, likes and follows. You are all amazing.**_

 _ **Love you all,**_

 ** _~Shana~_**


	34. Chapter 34

**_A/N: Hey guys! I'm back!_**

 ** _I apologize to you for being late with this (and any other chapters I'm behind on). I have been having a pretty tough time lately (divorce court, a friend who had a really bad accident, resulting in a brain injury, the untimely demise of my laptop, which fell victim to a pile of playfighting boys) and I'm in a rather dark place. You'll notice that as you read the chapter...it's very dark._**

 ** _This is also a very important chapter - so pay attention because major plot secrets are about to be revealed. It's maybe almost a good thing that things have been nasty lately? Because it put me in a bad enough mood to write this? Maybe?_**

 ** _Anyway, I think you'll enjoy the chapter...let me know at the end, k?_**

 ** _If I haven't said it before, Happy 2018!_**

 ** _~Shana~_**

* * *

 _I wasn't always evil._

 _No, just like everyone else, I was a baby once too. I had parents who adored me. People called me 'cute'. I was wide-eyed and curious about the world._

 _At one point in time, I was normal. I was innocent._

 _Then I changed._

 _That first time, it was my parents' deaths that set me off. They were erased from my life in front of my eyes, annihilated in a millisecond by naive, stupid humans that judged my parents for their ability to wield magic. Witches, they were called. I heard the villagers' screams… They were evil. 'Witches' needed to be destroyed by fire, pegged to the stake and purged from our world. I watched my beloved parents die before my eyes, taunted by the heartless human beings that mocked them…dared them to use their magic to escape. I begged them to. Guards held me back as I reached for their hands. I was too young to save them._

 _Have you ever smelled burning flesh? Can you imagine your own flesh melting away as you look into your children's frightened eyes? My nose has become immune to it since then...especially now that I live in Hell full-time. But the first time you smell it… I'll never forget it._

 _My father tried to save himself and my mother in the end. Father was a fire user. He fought gallantly to put out the flames around Mother's stake, breaking free of his confines amidst the fiery inferno that sucked away his life as he struggled. Mother was dead before he got the magic nullifiers off his wrists. When fire would not burn him, the lowly humans tore him apart with their blades. Even as he lay there bleeding, dying at their hands, he yelled for me to run. He knew once their bodies were cold, the mob would turn on the children. I took my brother's hand and I ran. We were separated in the chaos. I never found my brother. I never saw him again. Not for several hundred years._

 _My eons of experience has led me to believe that it was this incident that planted the seeds of darkness within my soul._

 _Perhaps they were there all along._

* * *

Zeref paced back and forth, his eyes glued on Mavis. He leaned in so that he was centimeters away from her face, his eyes bloodshot with wild fury, " _What did you do_?"

He had her chained to the wall again, breaking his promise to allow her to remain free as long as she stayed near him. Of course, Mavis had broken the rules too. Zeref knew it was Mavis who had interrupted his communication with Larcade. What he didn't know was _how_. It should have been impossible. So far, Mavis had refused to talk, lifting her nose in the air, stubbornly daring him to challenge her.

The things she had witnessed over the last several days in her hellfire prison had emptied her of emotion. Hell itself was everything it was cracked up to be: tortured souls screaming for eternity for the evil deeds they committed while they were alive. Mavis grew insensitive to the stench that burned her nostrils and ignored the blood oozing down every cavern wall. No, she could block out all that stuff _because_ she was Mavis.

Zeref was every bit as evil and twisted as the day she'd killed him. Hell had been very busy since she'd arrived, so Mavis had done what she does best…observed.

They were mobilizing, she realized. The new demons Zeref had awoken were being trained with their awakened abilities. She listened intently, trying to figure out what the objective was and to come up with a plan to stop them.

Several times she heard the term 'the Son' and knew that they were referring to Larcade. She also realized that they were planning a direct attack on Natsu Dragneel and the time to capture him was approaching… if they succeeded,the impact would domino to the families in Magnolia. Zeref was careful not to say too much in front of her, however, often silencing conversations when she began to look too interested.

Mavis remained silent, turning away from his close proximity, " I didn't do anything."

"Mavis," Zeref growled, his voice low and dangerous, "You will hang here. For eternity if I wish it. It doesn't have to be this way. Just tell me what you did to interrupt my conversation with Larcade."

His face grew red with anger at her continued silence. He pointed at one of the cells adjacent to her own, whipping his hand through the air. The terrifying screams stopped instantly.

"I'll kill everyone in Hell if I have to," he vowed, satisfied with her shocked expression. He'd learned she didn't like it when he killed souls, even souls so evil they'd been condemned to Hell with no hope for redemption. At the moment, their 'lives' seemed to be his only hold on her.

"How did you interrupt the Son's nightmares?" he repeated, slamming the wall behind her head.

She jumped involuntarily, but shook her head, staring at him directly in the eyes with all the hatred and defiance that she could muster, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Fine," Zeref hissed, "Then you'll stay here for the time being with my pets. Maybe an hour or two in their… care... will loosen your tongue."

He stalked away, his anger so palpable that rocks fell from the ceiling as he turned his back on her.

Mavis breathed a sigh of relief at his retreating form. She finally had silence, a moment of peace…until the 'pets' started moving.

* * *

 _It must have been the horror that took my parents from me that twisted and warped me into what I have become. I couldn't see the good in the world after that. I was an outcast... The forgotten witches' spawn. Unwanted. Alone._

 _I grew up fast._

 _The next few years were nothing more than a child trying to learn how to survive. I did what I had to: lie, steal, maim or murder…take your pick. The entire world had gone dull; a lifeless stain in the slums of the universe. Nothing held any meaning to me. I witnessed the decline of man. I watched them slaughter each other time and time again, destroying entire ways of existence to make room for 'progress'._

 _I helped my people when I could. Witches like my parents who were trying to flee the realm. I helped a man smuggle a young family across the borders of Ishgar. He was arrested and the family fed to the flames. The man didn't give me up to the constable, but I didn't stick around to see what happened to him. I ran again._

 _I tried to forget it all. I bought some land in the country, raised a herd of cattle and tried my hand at ranching for awhile. I dared to hope that a legitimate career would turn things my way. I wanted to believe that there were still good people in the world...despite the tragedy that befell my parents, humanity was still worth fighting for. I turned out to be a very good cattle rancher, growing my herd of 10 to over 1000._

 _I met a woman - a fortune teller - by the name of Zera when I was selling meat one day. She was beautiful - dark brown hair, and eyes that lit the room. She told me before even knowing my name that I knew heartache. But it wasn't too late for me. Besides her ominous warnings, she was lovely to talk to. She promised me that the cure for my downward spiral was love. She was my first. We got engaged soon after meeting. We had a small cottage at the edge of a pond. I had found my happy ending._

 _I should've known better. The ability to see futures was also considered witchcraft in those days. They thought I was possessed by her magic. Her demon's soul would make me fight for her, defend her with my own life, so they came in the night while I was gone with the herd._

 _I didn't know what happened when I first got home. The mob had left. The cottage door was open. It was her freshly baked bread strewn on the floor that alerted me that something was wrong. When I ran outside to call for her, that's when I saw her body, her pale skin visible beneath the pond's surface. She stood no chance against them. They had bound her with ropes, her body weighed down by rocks, and thrown her in._

 _I knew she was gone, but I couldn't leave her there. I dragged her lifeless body from the water and tried breathing life into her for over an hour. Her eyes remained open the entire time, staring blankly into the glittering stars above us. The light was gone from her eyes, faded into oblivion._

 _Humans were the parasites of the Earthland. Anger festered within my entire being. Humans were the epitome of evil...and I wanted them all dead. For my parents… my brother… for Zera. I was alone again and I was going to make them pay. I decided then that if I was going to be faced with an eternity in Hell for the crimes I was about to commit, then I would rise up and lead the armies of Hell myself…_

 _Of course that would not happen overnight. I needed to quit crying over my family and my beloved Zera because I was going to get them back…and in order to do that, I would have to become powerful. More powerful than anything creation had ever seen before._

 _It became my obsession to crawl out of the depths of my despair. I overheard some mages talking about joining an army hellbent on destroying the non-magic humans. "Ungifted", they said. They too had lost loved ones to the pathetic fears of humanity and saw their abilities as the gifts of the gods. I introduced myself and at first, they looked at me like I was mad. Once they'd heard my story, seen how similar my plight was to their own, they agreed to take me to their army general._

 _I was the lowest of the low in that army. I was barely deemed good enough to bring coffee to the mages' tents during the the day. But I did my job. I stayed loyal...and soon, I proved my worth._

 _The main company attacked a human town on the edge of Fiore. Recently, the townspeople had burned all the mages in a bonfire in the centre of town._

 _They were ready for our assault, however. Word had traveled of the vigilante army of magic users that were getting revenge for the people they had lost...one town at a time. The townspeople used runes at the edges of the town. How bittersweet. They used magic to defend against the very magic they were out to destroy...oh, the irony._

 _We could enter the gates, but we could not leave. Furthermore, a lacrima inside the town drained the magic power of any nearby mages. My friends were rounded up and herded to the centre of town and lashed to iron rods before a great pyre of oil soaked wood, seemingly doomed to the fate of the mages before them. Before the bonfire would be lit, the townspeople would go into the church to pray, to cleanse their souls and absolve their own guilt. THEN, they would take the lives of the people at the stake. Pathetic._

 _That's when I made my move. While the clueless jerks were singing and praying, I lead the other humans, who were unaffected by the lacrima but sympathetic to the cause, to bar the church entrances with large planks, cutting off each escape route...and then lit the church on fire from the outside with the very oil soaked wood they planned to kill us with._

 _Have you ever heard several hundred voices cry out in fear before? The pleading of men and women who paint their hate in the blood of my brethren? The sobs and shrieks of their children? Their screams pierced the night like music to my ears. Let me tell you...it was satisfying...oh-so-satisfying. I wanted to howl at the moon. I destroyed the lacrima and the runes, releasing my friends from their burdens. They rampaged the town and when it was over, not a man, women or child was left alive._

 _I worked my way up in the ranks of the military officers quickly after that night and engaged in an attempt to take over Fiore. Back then, humans were meager creatures... crying pitifully at the feet of their overlords for mercy as their brothers were slaughtered like sheep beside them. Mages were joined by the ones I knew as 'dark ones'. We did not call ourselves 'humans' anymore. We were beyond that simple designation. We were more than them._

 _I found that I liked killing. I liked tearing families apart, much like mine had been taken from me. Every drop of blood I spilled was their blood. It was Zera's blood. The lives I took paid for the lives I'd lost. I wanted the demon lords to take over Fiore. I wanted vengeance for my people._

 _The 'light ones' arrived on Earthland when it became obvious that humans would not survive without help. They fought with determination alongside the humans, but alas, it was a bloodbath. Angels took demon horns as trophies; demons took the wings of the Angels. Truth be told, the Angels did not acquire many sets of horns. Both the Angel and human forces were nearing extinction when Ankhseram, flanked by the supreme Guardians, Angels known as 'the five', had no choice but to intervene. They annihilated the demon oppressors first…then declared they would deal with the human traitors personally, with myself deemed the ultimate offender._

 _Imagine my shock when I came face to face with my brother again…so many years after being separated._

 _He had ascended to Heaven upon his death. He hadn't escaped the massacre our parents died in. That made my anger worse, I think. The darkness only deepened. His innocence was snuffed out that night, like mine, but he did not have to suffer as I did. He was blessed by the light. He had forgotten me. I hated him but he was beautiful._

 _He had become an Angel, then ascended to the stars when his soul got tired. Eons later, his power had grown and Ankhseram called him and four others down to assist the ending of the demon uprising. It did not take them long. Even against our army of thousands, the Five and Ankhseram were unstoppable. The next thing I knew, it was the demons on their knees before them._

 _Ankhseram sealed the magic away from every human on Earthland, locking it deep within their souls and quelling the uprising almost immediately. They were no longer trusted with his 'gift'. Angels and demons, retained their basic 'abilities', as he preferred to term them, to watch over and guide the humans so they may one day earn back his favor._

 _Ankhseram sealed the demons into Hell. Seeing no hope for me or the other generals of the demon/human alliance, he sent me to Earthland again as an newborn, hoping a new family would cease my need for vengeance if I was shown love. The five were reborn as well, a gift for their service. That way, the universe was reset._

 _Angels at the helm._

 _And love I did. Until history repeated itself with a vengeance…_

* * *

"They've been here," Jellal said with certainty, running his fingers on a wall on the side of the train station.

"How can you see anything?" Gray complained, "I can't pick out shit."

"He's right," Midnight confirmed, "We see Aura in different ways, but I definitely see traces of them too."

Juvia tilted her head to the side, "I don't understand."

"We see Aura particles," Lyon explained, "Aura leaves a residue-like substance…kind of like condensation after an ice melt. Jellal sees remnants of trails…like imprints on the ground…footsteps, if you will. Erik sees everything. He can pick out trails and particles."

"And I," Midnight drawled, "see darkness. Angel Auras are like bioluminescent algae in the deep sea. I can pick up Aura trails based on the illuminated path left behind in the dark."

Cana and Bacchus exchanged glances. Romeo stared at his feet, listening intently.

"So why can't the rest of us pick up anything?" Gray reiterated his first question.

"Because," Minerva filled in, "That's not part of your ability. I cannot use ice ability, just as you cannot use lightning as Laxus does, or re-equip as Erza does. Your ability even differs from Lyon, a fellow ice user."

Gray hummed to himself, trying to make sense of the new information. Beside him, Natsu balled his fists. They were wasting time with this lesson and his son was getting further away by the minute. The closer to the correct trail, the more antsy Natsu was getting. Jellal watched him closely for any flickering in his eyes. So far, so good.

"Does Natsu have a fire ability then?" Cana asked, following Jellal's gaze.

The Angels froze, exchanging glances between them. None of them were sure to how to answer that.

"What do you mean?" Natsu piped up, breaking their reclusive moment.

"When Cana and the teenagers were rescued," Bacchus told him, "You were using fire to fight off the attack. You were single handedly beating the demons back for awhile."

Romeo frowned, watching the stunned Natsu's face. This was new information he hadn't heard before.

"I did?"

"You were incredible," Juvia agreed, "All of us had to go through training and we weren't nearly as effective as you were."

"Incredibly destructive," Gray muttered under his breath.

"If I could have an ability, it would definitely be fire," Natsu frowned, "But I don't remember anything… I'm not sure if I could do it again..."

"In any case," Jellal cut in, "Lark and Wendy were here. So, the question is…where did they go?"

"Also," Midnight added, "I'm only sensing Wendy. I don't sense Larcade at all."

"Did they separate?" Sorano asked, her eyebrows raised.

"I doubt they separated," Jellal said, "But we also don't know where Wendy would go from here. The Intelligence Team says Mira has gone back to Heaven to speak with the Starkeeper. We should lay low and wait to see if she knows Wendy's codename. Maybe if we can narrow down where they stayed and check the ticket sale log, we can figure out where they're headed next."

Romeo watched Natsu snap back into planning mode, the story of his fire ability forgotten for the moment. It was like he had a split personality. One minute, he was the Natsu Romeo had known for most of his working career. The next, he was someone completely different. Furthermore, it seemed Natsu had had more than one memory gap.

Romeo made up his mind. He needed to get Cana alone. Maybe she could shed some light about what happened when she and the others were rescued…because what he'd just heard was the first indication that there was some truth to what Flare had told him after all. If that was the case, he needed to get Cana and the other humans out of here.

* * *

 _My new life on Earthland, reset by Ankhseram, was more than I could have asked for. I had loving parents all to myself for the first few years. My parents adored and doted on me, made me the centre of their world. When I was six, my little brother was born. He was my most treasured person and I vowed to be the best big brother I could be for him. He followed me around like a lost puppy, so I made sure to take time for him and to mentor him any way I could._

 _I don't know why I retained the memories of my previous life. I pushed them down, tried to forget them, wanting so badly to exist only in the love that my brother and parents offered me. I wanted to believe that Ankhseram's plan had succeeded and I would have my shot at happiness... maybe even love again. But the heartache and pain I had suffered was always there in the back of my mind. I never relaxed completely, knowing that it would only take one single moment to lose everything I loved._

 _When my new village was attacked, none of us knew what was happening…not at first. The bombs materialized out of the sky, decimating several square miles every time one dropped. What wasn't destroyed by bombs was torched by the ground troops that followed. Fiore was under attack once again, this time by warring armies that wanted control of the government. It had nothing to do with us. It was senseless violence._

 _Natsu and I were playing at the park when the sirens began to sound their warning. The bomb that hit our house made the ground quake. We ran for home, Natsu screaming at the chaos around us._

 _There was nothing left in the end. Buildings were blown apart, the rubble scattered across the streets._

 _People were screaming, covered in their own blood as they fought to rescue their families; their neighbors._

 _It took a long time to maneuver through the debris to get to our house. It had collapsed…a part of my father's leg was sticking out of the wreckage. I am unclear what happened to the rest of him, but I wasn't about to find out. My priority was to get Natsu out of there. I grabbed his hand and we ran. My brother was terrified...but I...I was livid._

 _Mages had been wiped from Earthland...so many lives lost over and over again and it did not matter how good I was, or how hard I worked, or how much I cared...everything I loved would inevitably be taken from me._

 _The rest, dear Mavis, you already know. Natsu and I ended up in a little town and got separated. My brother was shot in the head by more invading troops. It didn't even phase me as I dropped his lifeless corpse and continued on. By then, I already knew he would be taken from me too._

 _I devoted my life to erasing the barriers between life and death after that._

 _I'll never know why my memories were not erased when I was sent back to Earthland. I ignored them in favour of a life filled with smiles and hugs... but I should have listened, Mavis. I should have given in to my dark desires earlier that existence. If I had, perhaps my parents would have been spared somehow, and my brother. Perhaps the war that broke out due to the neverending human greed for power would not have happened. Perhaps I wouldn't have evolved into the emotionless killer that I am today._

* * *

The beasts' snarls were deafening. And they stank. Mavis had only opened her eyes once, taking in the horrendous appearance of the Hellhounds in front of her. That had been enough. The grotesque visage of Zeref's pets was etched into her brain and she didn't need to open her eyes to know that they would tear her apart given the chance.

There were two of them: 8 feet tall with 3 heads each and 4 inch elongated, rotted teeth. Their flesh had melted away eons before, exposed sinew flexing in the dim light, their blackened hearts pulsating visibly. Each paw clacked across the floor; curled, rotting claws, still clutching the tissue and bone fragments of their last victim.

Mavis could block out the other sounds of Hell, but not these… She couldn't block out their snarling, nor their rotten smell. She kept her eyes closed, willing herself to a better place…one with clouds and pristine buildings made of gold. She had focused some of her remaining ability into forming a barrier around herself…one that Zeref's pets could not cut through with their teeth. Part of her knew she had to let them through at some point. If Zeref came back and she was not at least a little mauled, he would know how she'd interrupted Lark's nightmare without her having to say a word.

"Abaddon…" a new voice spoke quietly, "Gehenna…your services are required for a new arrival. Go while he's still fresh."

She heard the Hellhounds trot out of the room, excited howls echoing off the cavern walls as they left. Mavis breathed a deep sigh of relief, the chain on her wrists pulling as she relaxed her arms.

"So, you're Mavis," the voice said in wonder.

Mavis took another deep breath. She released the barrier that had protected her from the Hellhounds. She needed to conserve her energy.

"I am Mavis," she confirmed, finally managing to open her eyes a bit.

The man in front of her was elderly. A long, matted white beard ran halfway down a firm, chiseled chest, the top of his hair standing up about 5 to 7 inches like he hadn't combed it in an eternity. He probably hadn't. He was filthy.

The well-toned chest was an odd observation, she realized. For being older, the man was in remarkably good shape. A golden circle tattoo crested the center of his forehead like a sun, though its beams wept down his face and across his eyes, so dark he had no colour to them. Mavis followed the golden beams with her gaze, down his chest and arms until a shift in his stance brought her eyes back up to his face. He towered over her by at least two feet, his eyebrows pulled into a scowl. She didn't think he was scowling at her…it looked rather permanent.

"I never thought I'd meet you," the man whispered, as though they should not be overheard.

If Mavis had to guess, she would say there was a trace of awe in his voice, but his eyes did not betray him. He had no facial expressions at all, only the perma-scowling eyebrows.

"The Daughter Angel…" he murmured.

"I suppose I'm known here. Probably hated," Mavis chuckled, "Angels and demons aren't exactly friends."

His expression unsurprisingly did not change, "Nobody will hate you if you decide not to fight him. All he wants is his family. You, him, Natsu, and the Son."

"We aren't a family," Mavis told him, her voice dripping with all the hatred she held for Zeref, "That… creature is deranged. Heaven will not buckle and Larcade will not be found. Not by him. I will use my last dying breath to ensure that never happens."

For the first time, the man's expression changed. Mavis tried to read it, but his beard hid his mouth.

"The Son has not known love," the man said quietly, "Perhaps you're looking at it the wrong way."

Mavis shook her head, "Larcade _has_ known love. I made sure of that when I placed him in the Dragneel's care. It's the love of his parents and siblings that will keep him away from Zeref and his ludicrous plans."

The man's face fell. He shook his head, stepping back into the shadows without another word.

Mavis let out an exasperated breath as the strange man left the room. It was rather futile to try to sway any of Zeref's demons to her side. A wasted effort.

She glanced at the handcuffs on either side of her, chaining her hands over her head. She could break free if she wanted to. She had managed to heal herself over the past few days – and with it, she could feel her abilities restoring.

That was how she'd been able to interrupt Larcade's nightmare.

But Zeref couldn't know that yet. She had to be smart. She would make her move and she would leave Hell in the blink of an eye.

She just needed to know what Zeref's plan was first.

* * *

 _I remember the first time I saw you. I was bathing in a secluded lake, mulling over the depths of my own depressing existence on this rotten land. When you appeared to me, I knew you were an Angel. I had never seen anyone so beautiful in either life._

 _And it really pissed me off._

 _You were there to comfort me…my brother had just passed away and you were there to tell me things would get better. You told me to look to the stars when I missed him but to just keep walking the straight and narrow. Something good was bound to come my way. Death is sad…but life is still worth living. You said he would want that._

 _What a croc of shit._

 _You preached to me a lot, Mavis. You hated my research and wanted to help me find happiness outside of my pain. Despite the fact that I knew you could likely benefit my purposes if I just stayed friendly with you, I genuinely started to enjoy your company. I valued our friendship as it grew. For awhile, I considered abandoning my experiments. I wanted to be with you. You were a cool balm on my troubled soul. Maybe if I couldn't have love with a human, I could have it with an Angel. Despite knowing it wouldn't end well, Fate would never allow me that happiness, I looked forward to my time with you._

 _As time wore on, I began to see the advantages of falling in love with an Angel. I was cursed by the limitations of my humanity... but you… you could achieve so much by my side. I suspected that you could heal the dead if you were so inclined, but I also knew from your goody-two-shoes attitude that you would never do it willingly. It was when you said that you had to go - that you were needed on another mission – that I realized that you would leave me too...if you weren't taken from me first._

 _And that really, really pissed me off._

 _You can call my experiments evil all you want to… You, as the Daughter of Heaven, will never experience pain and death like a mortal does. You will never watch your parents die excruciatingly horrible deaths…twice…or feel your little brother's heartbeat slow until he stopped breathing in your arms._

 _Instead, you preached about how death was a necessary element of the life cycle._

 _Stupid woman._

 _You shared my bed eagerly, more than once, then you would disappear for days at a time on your Heavenly missions. But you always came back to me. You were willing to do little errands for me if I played my rejection cards the right way. Perhaps there was a part of you that needed to be loved as well?_

 _Nonetheless, the help you were unwittingly giving me propelled my success. My theory was sound._

 _All I needed to do next was test it._

 _Unfortunately for me, I had no test subjects. I began to take 'volunteers' from the streets of the city...ones that nobody would miss. Or maybe they would. It made no difference to me._

 _It did, however, make a difference to you. It angered you enough to perform the act of betrayal that would divide us for centuries._

 _Do you remember the fire, Mavis? Do you remember how you destroyed my life's work? Did you know that I would die too?_

 _As I waited for the fire to claim my life, as my flesh sizzled and melted away, I contemplated my feelings for you. The love that I felt for you was real. I wanted to be with you, Mavis._

 _I had succeeded in bridging the gap between life and death. Even as we stared at each other in the last moments of my life, out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Natsu had arisen and toddled out of the burning building._

 _It was with my dying breath that I realized my new objective…if the family provided to me by the universe would continue to die, then I would create a family of my own._

* * *

"I say we start bangin' on hotel doors!" Natsu slammed his fist down onto the other hand, "If we wait for the Starkeeper, this is going to take forever. We should just start asking around and maybe we'll luck into something. If Lark couldn't be visible, the girl had to be in order to get a room. It shouldn't be that hard to track down a girl with hair as blue as hers."

"Patience, Natsu…" Jellal sighed, "Wendy would have disguised her appearance. Plus, we don't want to make too much commotion. We know the demons have made it at least this far and we don't want them catching on if we learn something."

Romeo watched Natsu's face closely. He was fidgety, more nervous and agitated by the minute. He wondered how the Angels would handle him if he had another outburst.

Gray put his hand on Natsu's shoulder, "Calm down, Natsu. It's only a matter of time before we're back on course."

Natsu shoved Gray's hand off his shoulder, "Thank you, _driving instructor_ , but I think I have every right to want to get moving, don't you? Lark was _here!_ He couldn't have gotten far."

Virgo sighed, "The truth is, he could be anywhere in Fiore by now. Without the Starkeeper's details, we have no direction, no path."

"Which is why we have to wait," Juvia reiterated, "Heaven will have the next step if we're patient. We _could_ break up and search for clues, but we'd be risking a lot, Natsu. You have a wife and seven other children at home to consider. They are waiting for you to come home _safely_...please think about them and try to calm down."

Natsu stared at his feet for a long moment, his brows furrowed. Romeo continued to monitor his movements, observing each twitch, huff, and muscle clench with careful consideration.

"Okay," Natsu muttered finally, "But can we at least get somethin' to eat? I know Angels don't have to eat, but…"

"A burger," Gray drooled, "You have no idea how good that sounds about now!"

Natsu grinned, "With pickles and mustard!"

"And fries!" Gray added, putting his fist out.

Natsu bumped it, grinning toothily. A wave of nostalgia hit him as he stared at Gray. It was like they had done this before. He still wasn't sure if he believed he was an Angel, or that this was his "new life" granted by Mavis herself, but the deja vu was strong. Sudden feelings of nostalgia had been hitting him a lot in recent days... and the memory lapses. Those concerned him the most.

He shook it off again, preferring not to be drawn into darker thoughts.

"Romeo!" Natsu yelled, throwing an arm around his startled police partner, "Let's go find a steakhouse!"

Romeo feigned a grin, whooping out a half-assed, "Hell ya!" as he followed his partner, Gray, Virgo, Cana and Bacchus to the nearest pub.

Behind them, the Angels watched with crossed arms.

"Keep a close eye on them," Jellal instructed Sorano, Ezel, Lyon and Juvia, "But maybe let them have a little fun too. I have a feeling things aren't going to stay quiet for long."

"Where are you going?" Lyon asked, furrowing his brow as Jellal gestured to Minerva and Midnight.

The three Angels took to the _shadows_ without a word _._

Lyon felt a chill run through him. He could feel the change in temperature and that could only mean one thing.

Likely, the senior Angels had felt it too.

* * *

 _I am now of the opinion that if I am to know love, I must find it and take it for myself. Everything that meant anything to me has always been taken away, but I should not have to be okay with that. Even if it means breaking a few rules._

 _But then there's you, Mavis._

 _You were not taken from me._

 _You betrayed me._

 _But I just cannot hate you for that, you know. You're still the love of my life...and I want you to be with me, ruling the world at my side._

 _Ankhseram cursed me when you told him of the fire at my laboratory. Grumbling like a bitter old man, he condemned me to a life in Hell - as far away from you as he could send me. To ensure I could never escape, he chained my soul to these very walls. Anything I loved and brought close would be doomed to eternal death. Stupid Ankhseram. He drained his own life force to seal me here. Did you know that, Mavis? That Ankhseram gave his life force to keep me here? Does it make sense why you haven't had an audience with him in eons now?_

 _It doesn't matter. Barriers have never stopped me from achieving my objectives in the past. Being chained to Hell is simply another obstacle. I continued my experiments after I did away with Hades, formulating my ultimate plan to reunite with my family once and for all and break free of my fiery prison._

 _To do that, I needed a special being. Nothing any universe has seen before...one with the powers of both Heaven and Hell...one that can travel freely between the realms. Create the bridge. And what better creation could I present to this world than one with DNA from both myself and you...our beautiful child..._

* * *

"Have you tamed my pets already?" Zeref asked with slight amusement when he returned to Mavis's room. It had been hours since he had left her, "Funny. I was sure they'd take at least a bite or two first."

Mavis cringed, opening her eyes slowly. She had fallen into an exhausted sleep after her bizarre visitor had left. Her arms hurt from being suspended against the wall. Angels did not normally feel pain. This was another symptom of her total separation from Heaven.

"They're just lapdogs," Mavis spat, "You'll have to do better than that if you want to scare me."

Zeref chuckled, waving a hand. Mavis's restraints loosened, then disappeared, sending her to her knees.

"Challenge accepted," he growled, "Unless you want to tell me how you interfered with Larcade's nightmare now?"

She spat on his feet.

"That's fine," Zeref hummed, "I have something to show you that might help you decide to trust me with your secrets. Come."

He pulled her to her feet, Mavis shaking her head as the spit on his foot disintegrated with the heat.

He waved his hand, forcing her to follow him through the next several bleak caverns before coming to a dark passageway kept significantly colder than the rest of Hell. Mavis shivered, straining to see where Zeref was leading her. Her breath hitched as he pulled her to a stop in front of a massive door, gnarled and etched with crude carvings depicting the long, bloody fall of an Angel from Heaven.

"These took lifetimes to acquire. So precious, I have to keep it locked," Zeref told her, tracing a fond finger over the visage of the fallen Angel, a delighted grin on his face, "Or my minions will help themselves to a snack. You have no idea how amazing they taste, Mavis."

He waved his hand again, heavy locks tumbling until there was a thunderous click that rattled the walls of Hell. The chorus of tortured souls crescendoed, their anguished screams haunting the frozen halls as the door burst open.

Zeref offered Mavis his hand, chuckling again as she scowled at him.

"Before we go in," he paused, turning to her with wild eyes, "I will warn you one last time - you're not going to like this. I told you...I won't play nice anymore. You don't have to see this, Mavis. I promise...I'll close these doors and we'll walk away...just tell me where you got the power to try communicating with Larcade."

She shook her head. She could smell it without him having to say anything. She pushed him aside and stepped inside. Her heart screamed for her to run but she had to go. She had to see them.. Big heavy sobs overtook her body as she collapsed to her knees before Zeref's treasures.

"You're a monster," she croaked, her voice hoarse. She closed her eyes to shut out her horror.

"Come now, Mavis...it's not like I killed them personally… Not all of them. And not every Angel was killed either," Zeref told her defensively, "Some simply... changed sides."

Mavis couldn't tell if he was mocking her or trying to reassure her.

"Open your eyes, Mavis," Zeref hissed.

She could feel his magic forcing her eyelids open. She fought it, but knew it would be a mistake to fight back with her abilities. She still needed him to believe she'd been completely drained of Heaven's Aura.

Tears cascaded down her face as her worst nightmare blurred before her eyes. Wings...thousands of them mounted on the walls of the chamber like fireside trophies, illuminated by the blue-fire torches lining the wall. They had lost their pure whiteness, some still stained with the blood of the Angel that had adorned them, preserved by the cold flames.

So many...so many lost Angels.

"How did you interrupt my nightmare?" Zeref asked again, tilting her face upward so that his lips could brush hers, "Did you draw the last of the wings' essence to save our son? This room is all that remains of your people in this place. Heaven cannot touch you here and Larcade will come to me."

Mavis tried to pull her face back, mortified that he had managed to kiss her lips. He was so gentle, making the nausea in her stomach churn even faster. She didn't want to see the wings or his face anymore. Her eyes clenched shut as she yanked her head back.

"Yes," she cried out finally.

She heard Zeref chuckle. At first, it was low in timbre, then grew louder until a booming laugh burst through the air.

"Ah Mavis...you were always a terrible liar," he leaned forward again, invading her space once more, "I'll put it simply...tell me how you communicated with Larcade or I will start hunting Angels again...starting with each one living in your precious Magnolia."

Mavis cringed, but refused to open her eyes again, "Angels don't have wings anymore, Zeref."

She heard Zeref chuckle again.

"That's true," he said flatly, "So if you don't cooperate, you'll only encourage me to do something much worse than claim their wings."

Mavis was fighting the urge to use her abilities. He was trying to manipulate her and she did not want to admit that it was starting to work. Every fibre of her being wanted to fight back right now. She didn't want to admit he was scaring her...but she was mortified to her very core. She couldn't let him hurt the others.

"They'll all die," Zeref vowed, "I'll pike their heads on golden stakes and spear them into the ground in front of you. I'll chain your favorites to your ankles and they'll follow every step you take at my side for all eternity."

She felt him move away from her, then started screaming as she heard the door closing on her. Her eyes flew open as she broke into a run, trying to get out before Zeref disappeared. Of all the places in the universe, this was the one room she really could not stay in. She felt claustrophobic, taking sharp, panicking breaths.

"I'll be back, Mavis...eventually," Zeref pushed her back from the door with a burst of energy, "Feel free to get reacquainted with your dear departed comrades."

Mavis cried out, her panic attack going almost asthmatic as the door slammed shut, locking the vault with a magically reinforced bolt. The force shook the entire cavern and Mavis fell against it uselessly, slamming her wounded arms against the grotesque carvings, pleading for release.

* * *

 _I knew as soon as I saw him that you would love him. I peered into the chamber and fell in love instantly. He had big, brown eyes and such sweet, soft blonde hair. His toes wiggled before he took his first breath. I was unable to touch him due to the curse - anything I love will die - but I was very pleased, Mavis. This child - the perfect reflection of you and me - would be the instrument that would combine Heaven, Hell and Earthland into one. Once I am free from my confines, I could end the need for death if I wanted. Our child was the first step._

 _When you first arrived in Hell with Layla Heartfilia, I admit I was very excited to see you. Layla...less so. I never liked her._

 _A smile crossed my face as I remembered Jude Heartfilia's fate. He never did pine over Layla as she hoped he would. Even as Porla severed his existence for eternity, his thoughts still remained with Kari Luska. He was a pathetic man. Layla was no better._

 _I never understood why you visited Hell that day. Your arrival was unexpected, to be sure! Still, I couldn't help myself. I watched you for several minutes before approaching, gorging myself on your beauty. I didn't think I'd get to see you again and I didn't want to waste a single moment._

 _I found myself mesmerized. You were every bit as remarkable as I remembered. Tiny...sweet...innocent looking. What a lie. Your hair had gotten a little longer, and you still refused to wear shoes. I would have thought bare feet in Hell to be painful...except I remembered that Angels don't normally feel pain... How excited I was to discover that to be untrue when subjected to demonic torture. But that's another subject._

 _The next thing I knew, you were looking inside of the chamber windows. How I wish you had talked to me before condemning me, Mavis...had a conversation with me like you used to… when you trusted me. Those are my most precious memories - our time together before things went wrong. Before you betrayed me._

 _I wanted to ask you to join me then and there. I missed you so much. It thrilled me that you could touch the child and not hurt him. That meant that you could nourish the baby - make him strong and healthy and ready for his future._

 _But you were cradling Larcade in your arms. Both you and Layla elated by what a beautiful baby he was. Sure, Larcade was cute...but he was nothing compared to…_

 _When I finally pulled myself back from dreams of our future, Layla was looking in the other chamber. She almost told you... She started panicking the moment I announced my presence, backing away with Larcade and yelling that you had to get out of there._

 _Despicable woman...interrupting the first bit of quality time I'd had with you in years..._

 _You could have told her no. I know you were considering it. I saw the challenge in your eyes as you looked at me. Yet, you rejected me again, screaming at me to stay away from you as you chose Larcade and that witch of an Angel, Layla, over us. I should have struck her dead on the spot when I had the chance. You weed out weaknesses in the chain, Mavis. Destroy the weakest links to empower the strong. She could have blown my whole plan apart in that moment...but I don't believe she ever told you what she saw in the other chamber. You'd have been back the next day with an army to take the other one._

 _That's right, dear Mavis...you thought you had taken our son back to Heaven with you. Larcade is nothing but the remnants of a failed experiment._

 _The embryo I created using your DNA and mine was not supposed to split. It weakened the key to unlocking my curse and set me back. You took the child that will be absorbed by his twin._

 _That is my plan._

 _He_ _will be our success. Once combined, our son will become the strongest being in existence… More powerful than a demon, more divine than an Angel… He's the only one who can break the seal holding me here in Hell. He will unleash me to the world and there, I will purge Ankhseram's final curse. I will bring magic back to Earthland, darken it, erase the confines of death and those who took what I loved or stand in my way will bleed at my feet._

 _The world will submit or suffer to die._

 _And then...we can finally be a family._

* * *

 ** _A/N: The biggest thank you EVER to Wordsaremyspells1331. I'm not kidding when I said I was in a pretty hard place. She really stepped up this chapter to help bring it together._**

 ** _For those of you following Before I Get Gray...sorry - I haven't been 'feeling the funny' due to recent events. I'm working on getting it back. Promise._**

 ** _So...no Wendy or Larcade this chapter, but some major, major reveals...now we know why Zeref is hellbent on getting Larcade. Please let me know what you think! Do you feel a little sorry for Zeref? Does he freak you out? And poor Mavis!_**

 ** _Until next time!_**


	35. Chapter 35

The rest of the house was silent as Lucy crept out of the master bedroom. She paused in the hallways, listening to reassure herself it would stay that way. She didn't want anyone up...not yet. She needed a few minutes to be alone.

The children were holed up in their rooms, but they wouldn't be for long. The Intelligence, Find-Dan-Straight, and Exceed teams would be showing up soon and she needed to take the brief moment of silence while she still could.

She opened the door to Lark's room, crossing to his bed to sit heavily upon it. Everything was just as he'd left it. Discarded jeans on the floor... blankets in disarray because _Heaven forbid_ that he actually make his bed.

There were even some fragments of the cast he'd taken off his own arm. She hummed to herself, remembering that he'd tried to tell her at first that he wasn't responsible for taking it off, then backtracked and admitted his guilt. Now she wondered if he _had_ been telling the truth. Maybe an Angel had healed him. It wasn't impossible anymore.

She felt a pang of guilt as she realized she hadn't ever believed him when he said he could see Angels either. He'd been trying to tell her the truth for _so_ long.

She picked up Lark's pillow, hugging it to her chest as silent tears trickled down her cheeks. She would give anything to be able to see him right now.

There was a soft glow nearby in the room and, although Lucy didn't turn to see for herself, she knew she wasn't alone anymore.

"This isn't getting easier," Lucy whispered, "I'm trying to wrap my head around everything that has happened...and I can't do it. I don't understand how Natsu and I could have this whole other past. Neither of us remember it...and now Lark is paying the price for it."

"Your history with Natsu has very little to do with why Lark is on the run, Lucy," Levy said softly, "It's not something either of you could control."

"My head knows that," Lucy sighed, "but my heart doesn't."

"Trust in Fairy Tail, Lucy," Levy sat down on the bed, taking Lucy's hands in hers, "Everyone who loves Lark is working hard to bring him home."

"I feel so _useless_ ," Lucy sighed, "Natsu has tapped into his Heavenly powers, according to you _experts_. I don't have _abilities_ to tap into. All I can do is serve on the Intelligence Team and hope that something comes up."

"All of our resources are helping," Levy promised, "Something is bound to happen soon."

Lucy nodded, but the agreement didn't reach her eyes. Levy pulled her best friend to her shoulder, praying that something would happen _very_ soon. She didn't have words to comfort Lucy at the moment. All in all, she was feeling pretty useless too.

"I can't stand by, Lev. I can't lose Lark...or Natsu."

"I know," Levy whispered, running her hand softly over Lucy's blonde head.

They sat for a moment, Levy stroking Lucy's hair gently. Lucy awed the Guardian Angel. She didn't know if Lucy understood just how strong she was. She had endured so much, and yet here she was - still looking for ways to protect her family.

"When I met Natsu the first time…" Lucy said quietly, "Was it love at first sight?"

Levy tilted her head, remembering the distant past clearly, "Mostly. He fell for you so fast, I'm not sure he realized it was happening. You...resisted a bit. We were being chased by Dan and you were still so scared. But he was so different than anyone you'd met before. It didn't take you long to fall for him too."

"That's how it was the second time we met too," Lucy lamented, "Natsu knew right away. It took me a bit longer."

Levy snickered, "Like 34 seconds! I was there! You were officially together by the time you got to the drug store!"

"Not totally!" Lucy denied, smacking Levy's arm playfully.

"You kissed before you'd even left the apartment!" Levy teased.

One of the kids coughed down the hall, making both ladies shush their giggles.

"I never got to tell you I was sorry," Levy murmured, subdued, "for not telling you about Angels...that _I'm_ an Angel. I never meant to hurt you."

Lucy sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes, "I know, Lev. You were right. It doesn't change who you are. You're still the one person I can talk to about anything."

"I love you, Lu," Levy smiled, as she dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve, "No matter what happens, I'll be here with you every step of the way."

"Same here," Lucy clasped both Levy's hands, determination in her eyes, "So let's find a way to end this...and bring both my men home where they belong. Help me find a way to fight back."

Levy nodded firmly, pulling Lucy into another hug.

"I have to go," Levy told her, "Gajeel is going out on patrol again. I'm bringing Sora, Yuka and Toby here while he's out searching for Dan."

"Yuka and Toby," Lucy wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Cana was right, Lu…" Levy promised, "They're on our side now. They're sorry for everything that's happened. Cana didn't want to leave them, but it's not safe to take them on the road either. I hope everyone will welcome them."

Lucy nodded slowly, "Okay. I'll talk to the kids before they get here."

"Thanks," Levy winked at her, then disappeared.

Lucy honestly didn't know if she'd ever get used to that.

* * *

Wendy's eyes opened, blinking against the bright morning light. She was comfortable now that it was time to get up, nestled into a spot in the centre of the bed. Sleep had been elusive during the night. Lark had been restless, even cradled in her arms, and she had awoken several times to calm him. She didn't think he was having nightmares, but it was clear that _something_ was bothering him.

She sat up quickly, realizing that she was alone in the bed. Glancing around the otherwise unoccupied room, she sighed in relief when she heard the pipes clanging as the shower turned off.

She scrambled out of bed, shedding her pajamas so she could get dressed before he came out.

"Good morning!" she greeted him as the door opened, just as she slipped the shirt over her head.

Lark nodded, a half-smile on his face as he folded his pajamas and placed them into the backpack. She raised an eyebrow, realizing he was fully clothed. Lark never took his clothes to the shower, preferring to tease her by coming out in only his towel to retrieve what he'd need for the day.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, dismissing the thought, "I can go get you a muffin or something."

"I'm good," he replied, tousling his long blonde locks with his fingers, "We have work to do today. Let's get going."

"Okay, now I _know_ something's up!" Wendy balked, a suspicious grin tugging at the corners of her mouth, "Since when are _you_ not hungry?"

"I'm fine," Lark assured her, picking up his cell phone.

Wendy peered over his shoulder, looking at the picture he had there. It was a family photo from earlier in the summer. Lark had Brielle on his shoulders, Connor nestled on Natsu's. The rest of the family crowded in, all of them with big smiles on their faces.

Sora had taken that photo. He flipped to another picture. Sora was grinning, her blue hair done up neatly in pretty french braid. Gajeel's work, obviously. Daisuke was in the next picture. Lark had caught him flirting with a girl outside the school and Daisuke was coming toward the camera, his fists balled.

"Are you homesick?" Wendy asked softly.

Lark shut off the phone, placing it on the table.

"I'm fine," he repeated, his tone cool.

"We're okay, right?" Wendy asked, "You know I forgave you, right?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I know. I won't cause you any more trouble...I promise."

He wandered to the table, grabbing a slice of bread to eat for breakfast, leaving Wendy completely flabbergasted.

She frowned, noting again how neatly he'd folded his clothes instead of cramming them into the backpack like he usually did. He also wiped the crumbs from the table into his hand, disposing them into the garbage can. It wasn't that the sudden change of habits upset her, but it certainly startled her.

"We can explore the town today," Wendy said brightly, searching once again for his usual gung-ho spirit, "We need to find a payphone or something...try to contact Magnolia."

Lark nodded, finishing the last of his piece of bread, "Okay. I'll go brush my teeth, then we can go."

His lack of enthusiasm alarmed her. Normally Lark couldn't _wait_ to explore. Something was definitely not right.

* * *

Layla hadn't told Mira where they were going. She'd simply implored Mira to follow her once she was done hearing the entire story. It shouldn't have surprised Mira when they ended up in a garden...Mavis's home was a marvelous place.

The garden was strangely absent of the animals that had frequented the area the last time Mira had been there. Mira knew that the Exceeds had been sent to Earthland, but that didn't account for the absence of the other creatures that Mavis loved so much. Even the waterfall had dried up, leaving the rocky stream barren.

Some of the plant life had withered, fading in their normally luscious colour. Layla strolled up the path, pausing to breathe in the fragrance of the irises by the pond, then sighing with satisfaction as some of the colour flowed back into the flowers before moving on to the lavender.

"What happened here?" Mira asked, bewildered.

"Mavis is being held captive," Layla replied solemnly, "In Hell, obviously, judging by the way Heaven is reacting to her absence. But as long as there is some colour in the garden, she still has some of her _abilities_. She's not dead. I'm just trying to help her out a little bit by lending her some of my essence."

She paused, touching the red roses, then the pink, smiling as they perked up immediately.

Mira touched a Dogwood bush, trying to transfer some of her own _ability._ She glanced at Layla in confusion when nothing happened.

"I work close to the stars," Layla explained, "So I've gained some of their excess _ability_ and it helps. I'll just be a minute. I'm almost done reviving the garden."

They approached the little gazebo where Mira and Mavis had had their conversation. That seemed so long ago now. She sighed miserably, wishing there was a way for her to help Mavis too.

Layla raised her hands, small vines rising from the dirt to encase the tiny cottage that belonged to Mavis. Flowers bloomed from the vines as they enveloped the house and therefore disguised its location once again.

Mira couldn't believe the transformation. The garden wasn't as stunning as it should have been, but it was a whole lot healthier than a few minutes ago.

"Okay," Layla said, glancing around with satisfaction as a bunny hopped timidly across the trail. A deer strolled in the opposite path, "We can go inside now."

Layla paused long enough to revive the shrubbery around the door, then opened the door to Mavis's cottage, glancing back to Mira with nod that it was okay to come inside.

"Will the plants wither again?" Mira asked, taking one last look at the garden.

Layla nodded, "We need to rescue Mavis soon though. I won't be able to maintain the garden forever."

Mira followed Layla inside somberly. If she didn't feel desperate for answers before, there was new urgency now. Mavis was running out of time.

"Mavis has books never before seen by Angel or human eye," Layla told her, gesturing to the room full of bookshelves, "I'm pretty sure we can find something to help here."

She sauntered to the first bookshelf, picking up an old, green-spined novel.

"What are we looking for?" Mira asked, choosing a different shelf to start at.

"A way to protect the humans..." Layla responded, running her fingers on each book as she read the titles, "...perhaps a way for them to defend themselves against the demons without aid from Angel ground troops."

"I should forward Wendy's codename to the other Angels," Mira suggested, "They're all anxious for it. Having a real solid lead would ease everyone's minds until we figure out what else to do. Do you...mind?"

Layla shook her head, "Not at all - you should call Jellal. The sooner we find Larcade, the sooner we can focus on Mavis. I'll keep looking in the meantime."

Mira took out her cell phone, watching the beautiful woman in front of her skim the contents of every book she picked out. She hoped there were answers in that vast library. She was beyond worried about Mavis.

Although she hadn't said so, Mira suspected Layla was really worried too.

* * *

Lark and Wendy stared at the payphone as though it were a scolding parent...both open mouthed and cringing from it.

"So...do you know how to work it?" Wendy asked.

"To be honest," Lark lifted the receiver, then put it back into the cradle again, "I was born in the cell phone age. I'm completely clueless."

"There's directions," she pointed out as Lark hung up the receiver again.

Lark squinted, leaning in closely, "Yeah...in microprint. Can you read that?"

Wendy shook her head, "No...but how hard could it possibly be? We just want to make a phone call!"

Lark nodded his determination, picking up the receiver again. He paused, putting it back down.

"Problem?" Wendy asked.

"I'm not sure who to call," Lark replied, "We can't call my parents...they'll be monitored for sure. And that's probably true for the Magnolia Police Department too. Who can we call that wouldn't be monitored?"

Wendy pondered this, her fingers on her chin, "Cana?"

"They'll monitor her for sure," Lark shook his head, "They knew about our counselling sessions or they wouldn't have taken her."

"So Daisuke's out...same reason," Wendy tilted her head, "Sora?"

"Maybe," Lark hummed, "Let's try her."

He picked up the receiver for the 3rd time, pausing for a second, then put it back into the cradle.

"Now what?" Wendy asked.

"I can't remember her phone number," Lark admitted sheepishly, his cheeks red, "I always called her from speed dial. Of course, I left my cell at the hotel today since I can't call from it anyway. Never thought about getting numbers off it."

Wendy let out a defeated sigh, "Okay...so that's a dead end. You don't know _anyone's_ numbers?"

Lark thought about it, his shoulders slumping, "Would you know how to use the payphone if I did?"

Wendy frowned. In all her years with Crime Sorciere, it had never been necessary to use a payphone even once. She was as clueless as Lark was.

"Let's go get your cell phone," she suggested, "Maybe someone on the way can help us."

They settled in a steady pace, Wendy noting again how very quiet Lark was. He didn't reach for her hand as they walked. He hadn't made a single perverted joke all day. They even passed a rock wall - and he made no attempts to balance on it. It was like the Lark she knew had been broken last night after he'd apologized to her. Now that she'd forgiven him, maybe he was walking on eggshells. Either way, he was very different this morning...solemn.

She vowed to make him laugh, one way or another. Chances were, that's all it would take to get him back to his normal self.

There was only one problem...she had no idea how to make him laugh. Lark was the one with a sense of humour.

Wendy took a deep breath, trying to remember the ways that Lark had made her laugh in the past. It couldn't be that hard.

She thought back to a joke Erik had told Jellal once. It made both men laugh pretty hard...until they realized Erza was standing behind him. Still, if Jellal thought it was funny...

Clearing her throat, Wendy recited it:

" 'Mom was cleaning Junior's room one day and she found a bondage magazine under his bed. This made her very upset. She put it back under the bed until his father got home and then showed him. Dad handed it right back to her without a word, so she asked him, 'What should we do about this?' Dad paused and said, 'Well I don't think we should spank him.' "

Lark's mouth dropped open in shock as he froze on the sidewalk, staring at Wendy, who was laughing nervously. Her laughter slowed as she caught the look on his face, which was a cross between being mortified that such a thing would come out of her mouth and...utter shock that such a thing would come out of her mouth.

"Wendy…" Lark put his hand to his forehead, wondering how to explain it to her. Even without looking at her horrified, wide-eyed face as she gaged his reaction, he knew there was no way she understood just how perverted that joke was, "You...probably shouldn't tell that joke again. It's...really inappropriate."

"T-The parents...d-don't believe in spanking," Wendy stuttered.

Lark shook his head, offering her a sympathetic smile, "No, Wendy...that wasn't the punchline at all."

Wendy's face paled, remembering how angry Erza had been. If Angels could feel pain, Erik would have had a sore behind for a week. As it was, Jellal received her coldest treatment for the rest of the week.

She wished she had remembered that part before telling Lark the joke.

Wendy felt her face drain of colour as he started walking again. She was frozen to her spot, going over the joke in her head again to determine why it was inappropriate.

Her attempt to make him laugh had failed...miserably. Wendy shook her shock off, then hurried to catch up to him, forcing herself to stop dwelling on the mis-incident. Maybe if she couldn't tell a joke, she could find a way to have fun with him to snap him out of his solemn mood.

* * *

Toby and Yuka sat at the back of the crowd of Team Exceed. They had just convened in the attic for the day while the adults went about their business downstairs. They were both nervous...not sure if they'd been fully accepted by the other kids. Neither had been ecstatic when Cana and Bacchus said they were going to be staying behind...but it was a little better once they knew they'd be staying at the Redfox's.

Sora stayed beside them, watching for any signs of hostility from the other teenagers. It was probably safe to say Gajeel and Levy had told Sora to watch out for them, but judging by the non-aggressive stance of the Dragneel teens, Megumi, and the Eucliffe kids, it was probable that their parents had warned them as well.

"Alright - settle down please!" Pantherlily called out, bringing the chattering to a stop. The Exceeds stood at the front, arms crossed and ready to get down to business...with the exception of Frosch, who was swiping absently at a moth that hovered near the light.

"So CUTE!" Brielle cried out, grabbing the green cat in the frog costume and squeezing her tightly. She batted at the moth too, releasing Frosch to pounce in front of it to cut it off from escaping.

"That would be _our_ cat," Saichi teased, noting how Frosch instantly took to the youngest Dragneel.

"But," Ren added, "I suppose we can let you borrow her for awhile."

Brielle and Frosch proceeded to stalk the moth.

"Brielle…" Aki shook her head, "You need to pay attention."

"We're just having fun!" Brielle protested, "I made a new friend!"

"Frosch thinks so too!" Frosch piped up, eyes wide as they both pounced on the moth between them.

Aki sighed, turning back to the conversation at hand.

Pantherlily was asking everyone for impressions of the book they'd read yesterday.

"Okay...so Dad is fully human _now_ ," Hansuke said, thoughtfully, cupping his chin with this hand, "Mom was always human. At one time, though, they both knew of the Angels."

Connor's face fell, "So much for us being superheroes."

"Superheroes?" Saichi asked, "You mean part-Angel?"

Connor's eyes lit up, "Did you _see_ some of their powers? It'd be so freakin' cool if we had powers like that because we're half-Angel!"

"Pretty sure it doesn't work like that," Haru laughed, ruffling his younger brother's hair, "And we're not half-Angel. Mom and Dad are both fully human."

"That's not entirely true!" Mieske challenged, pointing at his older brother, "Maybe if Dad still has hidden powers - and he does, according to what Sora says - maybe we inherited them too! Connor! Go jump out the window and try to fly!"

Aki grabbed her youngest brother firmly by his arm, halting his march to the window.

"Don't even think about it, Connor," she seethed, chastising Mieske silently with her eyes for even suggesting it.

Ren snickered, earning a slap on the arm from Aimi. Sora glanced at Toby and Yuka, seeing the amusement behind their eyes, although neither dared to voice it. Her mother had been right...they were very worried about being alone with the kids they had bullied.

"Okay, but seriously," Ren tested the coffee table nearby. Satisfied that it would hold his weight, he sat, eyeing the other teenagers, "We've read the book...now, what can we learn from it?"

"Mom wrote about Mavis...that's the same Mavis we met a few days ago," Brielle stated, as she swiped the moth from the air. Both she and Frosch bent in with expectant eyes, both huffing as their hands were empty upon closer inspection.

"The one that's missing now because she saved Lark," Connor added, his sister clearly too busy to finish her own sentence.

"Mavis is the Daughter Angel," Happy piped up.

"She has a past that intertwines with our parents," Hansuke put in, "And our dead grandmother knows her."

The room went quiet, silent glances exchanged by all.

Aki broke the silence, beelining for the box she'd come across the first time she'd been in the attic. She pulled out the contents, searching for the photo book.

"What are you looking for?" Sora asked, kneeling beside her.

"A picture," Aki told her, "Mom had a picture of her mother in here somewhere. At first, I thought it _was_ Mom."

She found the photo album, holding it gleefully as she crossed to the coffee table, plunking it down. The other kids gathered around eagerly.

"Our grandfather killed her," Brielle remembered from the story as she glanced at the photo of Jude and Layla Heartfilia, little Lucy nestled on their laps, "But she looks just like Mama."

"Who's that?" Sora asked, pointing to a person in the corner of the photo.

All eyes settled on the stranger, his dark red hair jutted out in spikes on top of his head. He wasn't much older than Lucy in the picture - possibly 8 or 9 years old.

"If I had to guess," Aki surmised, "I'd say that's Dan Straight."

"The one who's loose in Magnolia right now," Sora whispered, her eyes widening.

"The one who will come after our mothers, given the chance," Aki agreed, "The adults were keeping that secret from us - that Dan was right here in Magnolia, kept in the Fairy Tail jail cells."

"Team B is out looking for him right now," Saichi said quietly, "He's causing a lot of panic. He must be really dangerous, even now."

"They're surveilling the monitors of every business in town that have security cameras," Ren added, "Dan would be stupid to stay in Magnolia. There's nowhere he can go that he won't be seen."

The room came to a dead silence.

"He'll go somewhere he's been before - his old hidey-holes," Toby surmised, "Either the cabin, the docks, or the clearing."

Everyone's eyes widened, realizing he was probably right. Now they were on to something.

"He won't go to the cabin," Hansuke reasoned, "It was blown up and I doubt anyone rebuilt it."

"Do we _know_ that?" Mieske asked.

Connor shook his head, "Of course we don't _know_ that...but neither would Dan. As far as he knows, it's history."

"The docks have a reasonable amount of places to hide," Haru hummed, "Although there's a lot of people down on the boardwalk most of the time."

"Which means," Yuka cut in, "The most reasonable place to look would be the clearing."

Team Exceed exchanged glances again, Carla standing at the edge of the stairs with Pantherlily and Lector as Happy beamed with pride at his kids.

Sora broke the silence, shooting everyone a brilliant grin, "Damn, we're good! Let's go tell the adults."

Everyone started to filter downstairs, Brielle carrying Froggy Frosch in her arms. Toby, Yuka and Sora waited to go last.

"That was a good contribution," Hansuke told them, hesitating before heading for the stairs, "Good job, you two."

"I was leary at first," Aimi added, "But I'm glad you're on our side now."

Toby and Yuka both froze, Toby's lower lip quivering.

"Hurry up, you guys!" Connor yelled from the bottom, "Mom made snacks!"

"Let's go," Sora smiled, squeezing both of their hands, "Our team is waiting for us."

"Yuka…" Toby murmured, "What we did...they forgave us for it."

Yuka nodded, patting his friend's shoulder, "And that's why we have to do everything in our power to help them now."

Toby nodded his agreement as both of us them hurried downstairs to catch up with the others.

* * *

The cell phone retrieved, Lark and Wendy were making their way back to the pay phone. Wendy's mind was reeling as she searched for ways to 'have fun' that might make Lark smile. His solemness was seriously getting to her.

Thankfully, he hadn't mentioned the bad joke again. Wendy still didn't understand why it was so bad, but she was just as happy to let it go. Lark remained quiet, responding to her questions, but not really instigating any real conversation like he usually did.

She really needed something fun to get his attention.

She could hear music playing nearby. Her eyes widened, knowing how much Lark liked to snoop around events.

Using the music as a catalyst to go investigate further, she grabbed Lark's hand, pulling him along behind her. Maybe a spontaneous adventure was just what he needed.

"Wendy, what about the pay phone?"

"We'll go soon!" Wendy promised, "I just want to see what the music is."

They rounded the corner into a garden, Wendy's eyes widening as she marvelled at the beauty of it. Lights were strung from tree to tree, illuminating the pretty yard. The flowers growing were pristine, a long white carpet ceremoniously extending from one end of the garden to the other. Rows of chairs lined the front, just before an alter-like stage.

"It's a wedding," she said in awe.

She paused, waiting for him to suggest that they should go check it out. Lark shuffled his feet, turning back to the street.

"We should go," he murmured, "You're the one always saying the less time we spend in the streets, the better. Let's just call Sora and go back to the hotel room."

He glanced up to where Wendy should have been, shocked at the empty spot. She was going for a closer look.

The music changed from light-hearted jazz to a pan flute medley. The congregation faced forward and halted their conversations as the minister appeared, the groom standing beside him. He was a handsome man - blonde like Lark but with blue eyes. He wasn't quite as tall, however, and he had a moustache and goatee on his face. He wore a grey suit with a light blue tie, his hands neatly folded.

"Wendy?" Lark hissed, following her deeper into the crowd, "We have to go - we still have things to do today!"

"I just want to see for a minute," Wendy told him, "Please? I really want to see the bride."

Lark sighed, finally catching up to her on the edge of the aisle. No one noticed the two Angels standing there, of course. It reminded Lark once again that this world seemed to be Angelless these days. It used to be that he couldn't _un-see_ Angels, but at this point, he would welcome a sighting. The fastest, most secure way to get word to Wendy's Crime Sorciere counterparts of their whereabouts would be to send another Angel to them. The problem was, they were all still away in Heaven. Wendy had said they were training. In any event, they were the only ones in the garden.

The music changed a second time, the harpsichords joining the pan flute. Lark watched as Wendy craned her neck to see above the crowd. Her blue hair fluttered in the slight breeze. It was rare to see her so excited over anything humans did.

From either side of the aisle, the wedding party joined two by two, lead by the Maid-of-Honour and the Best Man. They linked arms, the woman blushing as she smiled up at the dark-haired Best Man. Behind them, two more sets of bridesmaids and groomsmen followed. The men wore suits similar to the groom's. The women wore light blue sundresses the same colour as the men's ties.

The crowd rose to their feet, trying to get their glimpse of the bride and effectively blocking Wendy's view. She strained to see over the multiple heads as the bride started her trek down the aisle. The minister asked the congregation to be seated as an older man, presumably her father, presented her to her groom.

Wendy froze, staring at the beautiful woman with bright red hair. She was radiant...her white dress casting off an aura of pure happiness. Wendy took a slight breath, reaching for Lark's hand again. Hesitantly, he allowed her to squeeze it, then hastily retreated again.

The bride's makeup was perfectly done, but perhaps the most beautiful part was her gown. It was fit to her body right down to the base, slender at the waist to accent her naturally slim body. A slit exposed a long, creamy leg as she walked. The neckline dipped, then rose into full length sleeves that belled at the elbows. The fabric hung loosely past her hands. She wore a simple crown of flowers on her head, no veil. Wendy had never seen anything so stunning in her existence.

She glanced back to the groom, tears streaming down his face as he took in his soon-to-be wife's appearance, then glanced at Lark again. He watched quietly, not showing any emotion at all, but Wendy had a tear rolling down her cheek.

Lark supposed Wendy had been denied the opportunity to have a wedding of her own. She had died so young. He wanted to reach out to her...but she'd made it perfectly clear his advances weren't wanted. Instead, he stood uncomfortably as the minister began to speak. Wendy seemed to hang on his every word, watching the young couple as they clasped hands and repeated their vows to one another.

"We should go," she whispered finally as the minister directed the groom to kiss his bride.

Lark nodded, turning for the exit when he realized Wendy had frozen again. She was watching the Maid of Honour, still eyeing the Best Man.

"She likes him," she said, more to herself than Lark.

Lark followed her gaze. The Maid-Of-Honour's cheeks would tinge red whenever the Best Man happened to glance her way.

The man caught the Maid-Of-Honour's eye, offering a smile and a wink, then offered his elbow as they followed the bride and groom from the alter. She flushed again, looping her arm through his.

Lark closed his eyes, willing himself to go against his instinct to help the couple connect on any level. He wanted to...oh, how he wanted to. The attraction between them was palpable. He was beginning to suspect he had a natural aptitude for Cupid missions. He could see natural attractions simply by looking at people..but he'd made a vow to himself that he wouldn't intervene. He couldn't risk making Wendy angry again.

She touched his elbow, bringing him out of his state of concentration.

"Lark?"

Lark remained quiet, watching the guests leave the garden.

"We should go make that phone call," Lark said flatly.

Wendy nodded slowly, reaching out her hand so that they could walk together. He shook his head, sadness and confusion behind his eyes, then stomped out of the garden ahead of her.

* * *

Daisuke waited for the nurse to leave the room, then pulled the pills out of his mouth, stuffing them underneath the mattress. He was making a small pile there...sooner or later, he was going to have to find a way to dispose of them.

He was completely certain that the nurse was giving him the runaround. The ophthalmologist she'd spoken of two days ago had never been by to see him. She kept saying he was too busy.

When his parents and sister had visited earlier, Daphne had told them Daisuke's fever was back...which meant that there was infection somewhere in his body and he wouldn't be able to leave the hospital for another couple days. Daisuke was confused when he couldn't wake up from his nap at that time. He could hear the conversation, but he couldn't voice to his mother that there was no fever. It occurred to him afterward that the nurse had given him pills before his parents' visit...and that made him wonder if he'd been sedated.

Since then, every pill she gave him went underneath the mattress. He could feel his physical awareness coming back, but continued to feign drowsiness when any hospital official was nearby. He'd keep it up until he figured out why they needed him out of the way.

* * *

"Okay...let's see if we can get this ancient contraption to work," Lark murmured.

He had 2 quarters in one hand, his cell phone in the other. Wendy stood by with an additional couple quarters, watching him. Her revelation hurt. She didn't want him to act differently on her account. She missed her flirty, funny Lark.

"You have to do it," Lark told her, "It'll look weird if the receiver is floating in mid-air."

Wendy giggled a little too loud at his observation, chastising herself because she didn't think he was actually trying to be funny. She sighed, resigning herself to their current assignment.

She picked up the receiver, typing in the numbers as Lark dictated Sora's phone number.

"It didn't work," Wendy frowned, "Why is it so difficult to use this thing?"

"Try putting in the quarters first," Lark suggested.

Wendy nodded, putting 2 quarters into the slot, then re-dialed the number.

"Still not working," she announced, frowning when the quarters reemerged in the change bucket.

"You didn't pick up the receiver," Lark reminded her.

Wendy flushed, picking up the receiver, then plunked the 2 quarters back into the machine. It made a weird, flat-lined noise.

"That's the dial tone," Lark told her, "That's good. Now type in the number."

Wendy punched the numbers again, glancing at Lark nervously as it began to ring.

" _Hello?"_

Wendy froze, her eyes wide. She didn't know Sora very well...and Sora absolutely did not know her.

"Say hi!" Lark encouraged her.

"Hello...Sora?"

" _Hello?"_

"It's Wendy!" Wendy cried out, "Listen, we only have a few minutes -"

" _Just kidding. I can't come to the phone right now. Leave a message, okay? I'll get back to you….eventually."_

Wendy stared at the receiver, then at Lark, before slowly replacing it into the cradle. Lark's entire body slumped.

"It's okay," Wendy told him, noting how visibly upset he was, "We'll try again."

Lark took a deep breath, "Let's just go back to the hotel room. We'll need to get more quarters tomorrow anyway. Nothing is open now."

Wendy nodded, following him as he turned from the phone booth, "Do you want to stop by the wedding again to help that couple?"

He shook his head, "No. Let's just go home."

He was already walking away, his head hung in defeat. Wendy's guilt bit at her again. She had come to the realization that Lark's change in behaviour was due entirely to their fight. He had apologized...and now he was trying to behave.

Except now that he'd stopped being himself, Wendy found herself really missing him. She missed his dumb jokes and his naturally flirtatious demeanor. She hated that he was purposefully restraining himself from acting like himself.

She needed to find a way to get through to him. She had bombed at making him laugh. But maybe...maybe if she could get him to have a little fun, it would snap him out of this funk. Wendy hummed to herself...yes...she could instigate fun.

* * *

Jellal, Minerva and Midnight stayed to the _shadows_ as they reconvened on the top of a roof.

"They know we're here," Jellal said under his breath.

Down below, the _shadows_ moved, surrounding the pub. They could hear Gray and Natsu's boisterous laughing, even from their perch. Obviously, their ground team had managed to get into the beer.

"Do you think they'll make a move?" Minerva asked.

Midnight shook his head, "No. I think they're waiting to see if they can gain any knowledge from us first. Our side still has a few things they want."

Minerva growled, "There's 8 or 9 in that group. It's not going to be easy to do any kind of investigation and remain unnoticed."

Jellal could feel his cell phone vibrating in his pocket. Hesitantly, he withdrew it, reading the text.

"Mira has met with the Starkeeper," Jellal told them, "She just texted Wendy's codename...

Mako Cardia."

"So...what do we do about the demons?" Minerva asked, "We can't follow up any leads with them tailing us like this."

Jellal took a deep breath, thinking about his beloved wife back in Magnolia and how angry she'd be if she knew what he was about to say.

"We're not going to tell the other Angels the codename," he stated, "We're going to have to investigate on our own."

* * *

Far away, a scarlet-haired woman felt a chill spread down her spine and she knew...her husband was about to do something VERY foolish.

* * *

All persons on the Intelligence Team were deep into a conversation concerning methods of reaching out to Lark and Wendy. The truth was, Lark and Wendy had probably disposed of Lark's cell phone right after leaving the immediate area and Wendy would know better than to contact any of the parents. Their lines were most likely tapped. It was reasonable to assume that was true for the teenagers as well...so they needed another way to be available for direct communication.

"Wendy is smart," Levy told them, "If we can find a way to show them how to call in, she'll figure it out.

"So what are you suggesting?" Yukino asked, "Like, a signal from Heaven?"

Levy nodded slowly, "Maybe. Most of the Earthland Angels haven't returned from training. If we inform Heaven to be on the lookout, we'll have eyes all over the continent."

"Okay, but we can't just wait til they come back!" Lucy protested, "What if it takes another week yet?"

"We finished our training in a day," Aries told her, "I'm sorry!"

"Team C is already tracking them," Lisanna reminded everyone, "Once we get the codename-"

Just as Lisanna was saying this, there was a clammer of stampeding children coming down the stairs, coming to a breathless halt in front of the women.

"I've made snacks," Lucy told them, gesturing to the counter.

"We have something to tell you," Aki informed her, "It's important."

Connor yelled up to the kids that were still up in the attic, informing them of the snacks.

Toby, Yuka, and Sora appeared from the stairwell, their eyes lighting up at the sight of the sandwiches Lucy had made.

"As I was saying-" Lisanna stated, capturing the women's attention again.

"This can't wait!" Aki interrupted again, "We think we have an idea that will help find Dan Straight."

The Intelligence Team stopped talking, turning inquisitively to the teenage group.

Aki opened her mouth, beginning to speak when there was a glow in the room.

"Now what?" Lucy huffed, turning to scold the new arrivals. It was almost impossible to get any amount of work done with the constant interruptions.

Everyone froze as the newcomers stepped into view, noting the stunning woman that accompanied Mira.

"Mira! You're back!" Lisanna exclaimed excitedly.

Lucy's mouth dropped open, completely stunned.

The woman teared up, pulling the still-frozen Lucy into her arms.

"Who _is_ that?" Brielle whispered to Aki, squeezing Frosch a little tighter.

Aki took a step forward, studying the woman she'd only seen in pictures. She was even more exquisite in person...long blonde hair, bright brown eyes...the spitting image of Aki's mother.

"That," Aki said softly, "is our grandmother...Layla Heartfilia."

* * *

Wendy followed behind Lark, watching for something - _anything -_ that a human teenage boy would consider fun.

It had been an entire day of nonchalant, humourless conversation. Furthermore, they had accomplished _nothing_. She was more than frustrated at this point. Lark's 180° flip in attitude made him completely unrecognizable to her, and that didn't help matters at all.

What she couldn't understand was why his sudden change of attitude _bothered_ her so much. For a week, she was constantly reminding him to stay out of trouble, slapping his hand away when he got too friendly, embarrassed when he paraded around her with only a towel around his waist. Now that he'd stopped and become completely respectful, Wendy found herself missing that behaviour. She _longed_ for it.

Wendy stopped breathing for moment, realizing just how much she'd come to love his attentions. He was so sweet... tender... and so determined in everything he did. Beyond that, she'd grown to adore his dark eyes...and the way his bangs bounced in the wind or when he was excited about something.

The question was...what was she willing to do to bring the _real_ Lark back?

They were walking along the boardwalk, the ocean water lapping serenely at the edge. The sun was starting to set, but the heat of the day hadn't left them yet. Wendy took a deep breath, wondering what he'd think if she…

"Can I use your cell for a minute please?" she asked, extending her hand before she could second-guess herself.

Lark glanced at her, but he took the phone out of his pocket. Wendy plunked it into the backpack, hiding the entire thing behind the bush.

"What are you doing?" he queried, narrowing his eyes.

She grinned nervously and, with a running start, pushed him into the water below.

Lark sputtered the water out of his mouth when he came back to the surface, his eyes bulging from his head as he glared at her, "What the hell?"

She jumped down, landing beside him with a splash that soaked him all over again, then used her arms to create a wave.

"Wendy!" Lark cried, standing. He was completely saturated from head to toe, a piece of seaweed dangling in his face.

She grinned, lunging at his knees and took him down a third time, tickling his ribs as they both crashed into the water.

This time he laughed, righting himself as he growled playfully, forcing her to scramble backward.

Wendy beamed, loving the sound of his laughter.

Lark advanced, Wendy narrowly retreating backward enough to miss his body that now careened toward her through the water. She used the moment to jump onto his back, securing one arm around his neck while she tickled his side with the other. Lark stood up, Wendy clinging to him like a backpack. She laughed out loud as he whipped around, trying to loosen her hold on him. When that didn't work, he reached behind himself, going for the sides of her stomach, and returned the tickle treatment.

Wendy squealed, releasing her grip on Lark as she fell into the water. He was on top of her before she had a chance to recover, continuing his assault on her ribs no matter how far she tried to retreat.

"Okay! Okay!" she cried out, barely able to catch her breath from laughing so hard.

Lark stilled. His arms were still behind her back, their chests so close, he could feel the rise and fall of her breasts against him. He dared to look downward, noting how her wet white t-shirt clung to her body, exposing the creamy cleavage that she usually hid beneath loose shirts. Her cheeks were tinged red as she looked expectantly up into his green eyes.

Mavis...he wanted to kiss her again.

Wendy took a deep breath, noting their close proximity. She pressed herself against him, adrenaline rushing through her veins as she tilted her head and closed her eyes.

 _No. Don't do it, Lark. It's a line you can't cross again._

Lark dropped his arms abruptly, pushing her away gently before swinging his body back up to the boardwalk.

"We're both soaking wet," he told her, reaching his hand down to help her back up to the sidewalk, "We'll need showers. The water isn't warm enough to play like that for too long without risking a cold."

Wendy took his hand, allowing him to hoist her up, but he let go as soon as she stood. Her shoulders slumped with disappointment and confusion. What just happened? Why did Lark stop?

He retrieved the backpack, staring at her for a long moment.

"There's a pizzeria up ahead," he suggested, "Let's order a couple ready-made pizzas for dinner."

He paused, pulling a light sweater from the backpack. Placing it around her shoulders, he pulled either end of the sweater so that she was no longer exposed, then took her hand, pulling her down the boardwalk toward home.

* * *

"Mama," Lucy whispered.

The blonde woman who cradled her stroked her hair, then pulled back so she could see her face, "Yeah, baby...it's me."

Tears flooded Lucy's eyes as she tried to think straight, "I've missed you...so much! I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"

"I've always been close by," Layla assured her, "We can have a proper reunion later. We have business to discuss. But first… I want to meet my grandchildren.""

Lucy nodded, trying to gather her wits as she gestured to the awestruck children behind her. Lucy and Layla could pass for twins. She still held her mother's hand as they turned toward the children.

"Grandma's an Angel too," Mieske stated, revere in his voice.

"Grandma!" Layla laughed out loud, "I always thought I'd be a Nana...or an Oma!"

Connor pulled back his fist, " _YES!"_

The entire crowd glanced at him questioningly.

"We definitely have super powers now!" Connor exclaimed, "Dad and Nana are both Angels...it officially runs in the family!"

"Actually," Layla said softly, patting the small boy on the head, then drawing him in for a tight hug, "You're not far off. But we'll discuss that in a few minutes. Right now, I need hugs."

* * *

Lark finished filling the tub with water, stepping back as Wendy took another step forward.

"It'll make you feel good," Lark promised, "Just soak in it for a few minutes. You'll warm up."

"I'm not cold," she said in wonder.

Lark spent a lot of time in the bathroom, sometimes showering twice a day. She never understood why humans liked showering and bathing so much. It was just another thing that took time as far as she was concerned.

But he was being insistent at the moment, seemingly concerned that she'd catch a cold after their romp in the ocean.

"Just trust me, okay?" Lark put one hand on her forearm, "You need to get out of those wet clothes. I'll be in the next room if you need anything."

He closed the door behind him, leaving Wendy to strip down. She complied, easing herself into the warm water with deep sigh. Maybe she understood now. While Angels didn't feel temperature on a normal basis, the water was decidedly pleasant. She let the water envelope her, feeling the stress of the day melt away.

It was with great trepidation that she realized, about a half hour later, that she had neglected to grab pajamas. Wendy shook her head, thinking about the irony of what she was about to do. She grabbed a towel, towelling off her long, blue hair, before wrapping it around her torso. It took some time to figure out how to tuck it so that it wouldn't unfold, but she managed.

"So?" Lark asked as she opened the door, "Do you feel better?"

He was sprawled out on the bed in one of the hotel housecoats, his wet clothes hanging in the closet. He got off the bed to meet her...plus it would be his turn in the bathroom now.

His eyes bulged at the sight. Her hair was damp, framing her bare shoulders. The towel barely covered her not-as-small-as-he-thought breasts, cleavage visible just above the towel line since she'd tied the towel so tightly around her - which also gave him a good eyeful of her curvaceous silhouette. She had slender legs, still dripping with the remnants of her bath.

Wendy froze, stunned by the jolt of electricity that shot through her as she noted just how...naked he was. She had seen his chest many times when he'd gotten out of the shower, but usually he had his jeans on and his lower half was covered. Now, his legs were bare too, exposed by the semi-open bathrobe. They were lean and muscular, leading up to his contoured chest. Mavis...he had a beautiful chest.

They stared at each other, both blushing.

"Wendy?" Lark asked as calmly as he could, "Are you okay?"

Wendy hummed to herself. She wasn't okay. She didn't understand the warring emotions inside of her.

"I-I forgot my pajamas," she stuttered, feeling a hot flush overtake her.

She stumbled. Lark scrambled off the bed, catching her before she could fall.

"Was the water too hot?" he asked.

She shook her head, noting the fluttering feeling in her chest only got worse when he held her so closely.

"Are you dizzy?" he demanded, placing a hand on her forehead to check for any trace of fever.

Wendy steadied herself, sighing deeply as she worked to pull herself together. She couldn't tell him about the emotions running through her. She didn't think she could explain them well enough for him to understand.

He smoothed her wet hair back from her face, peering into her eyes intently, "What just happened, Wendy?"

"I'm okay," she whispered finally.

"Well, obviously you're not!" he exclaimed.

He chastised himself, knowing he needed to stop holding her or he would not be able to keep his hands to himself. He stepped back, leaving one hand on her bare forearm so it would still show that he was concerned.

"No...I am," Wendy yell-promised, "I'm just...working through...stuff."

"Stuff?" Lark repeated.

Wendy cradled her own head with her hands, "I'm just trying to make sense of it, that's all."

"Sense of _what?"_ Lark asked.

She paced the room, every emotion yelling at once. On one hand, she could tell Lark the truth. Maybe he could identify the emotions for her and help sort out her confusion. On the other hand, it was _because_ of Lark that she had all these emotions. _AFTER_ she'd asked him to never kiss her again.

 _Tell him._

 _Don't tell him._

 _Tell him._

 _Don't tell him._

"I thought you were going to kiss me again at the beach!" she blurted out, her face turning purple.

"What? No!" Lark denied, "I mean...I thought about it...but it's a line I'm not going to cross again. I won't do anything inappropriate. I promise."

She nodded, losing herself in a train of 100 different thoughts, colliding together in a fiery explosion in her head. She had complained about his flirty personality...but now she missed it. He was outrageously prone to trouble in the pursuit of fun...now that he'd determined to himself that he would behave, she wanted him to cause trouble. Where was the logic in that? And then there was the couple at the wedding. She couldn't dismiss the feeling that they'd missed an opportunity. Lark really did have a gift for picking out Cupid projects.

"So…you really won't kiss me again?" Wendy asked quietly.

Lark shook his head adamantly, "No, Wendy! I made a promise to you… also to me. You mean more to me than a simple kiss. I won't cross that line again."

Wendy froze, wild eyes meeting his, "Ever?"

"Ever," Lark said after a long moment, "I didn't mean to go that far to prove my point, but I was out of line, kissing you like that. Never again without permission. I swear."

 _Without permission..._

Their eyes met, Lark's reassuring smile causing her cheeks to go red as she scrutinized his placidity. How could he change his personality so completely? It was unreal seeing him so calm. Normally, he couldn't sit still in his own skin. It was also in his nature to flirt and touch. She found it ironic that what used to irritate her so, now made her feel empty and lonely when he stopped these simple contacts.

More than that, she was really beginning to realize just how safe she felt when she was enveloped in his arms. She felt secured by the very one was she was protecting. She wasn't supposed to want his touches...or his flirting...or to get excited by the sight of his body. It made no sense.

Her confusion was frustrating.

"You won't kiss me again unless I ask you to," Wendy clarified slowly, eyeing Lark's reactions carefully.

He shook his head, glancing at her suspiciously when he caught the playful glint in her eyes.

Wendy hesitated, turning into his bare chest with sharp gasp. She loved how contoured he was.

She wasn't sure she felt as brave as she was trying to be, but she reached out anyway, trailing her fingers up his bare arm, "Even if I do this?"

He froze, his own confusion contorting his brow. She squeezed his biceps, closing her eyes as she reveled in the heat of his skin as she pulled back the fabric of his robe. Lark shook his head, still unsure what was going on...but she was not making it easy to maintain his composure.

"Or this?" she asked, maintaining eye contact with him as she put both hands on either side of his chest, tracing his abs slowly with her fingers. Her breasts brushed against his arm, sending a jolt of electricity down his entire body.

Lark closed his eyes, sucking in his breath sharply as she pushed back the sleeves of his robe completely, giving her full access to the biceps she'd been teasing.

"What are you doing, Wendy?" Lark whispered. His teeth clenched as he tried _not_ to feel...

She leaned into him, lifting her lips so that they were level with his ear.

"Learning to have a little fun," she whispered so low that he barely heard her. Her breath made his ear tingle.

He gave a low growl, running his fingers lightly down her upper forearms as she moved hers up to his face. He closed his eyes, sealing the sensation in his mind as she traced his cheekbones with her thumb.

"Wendy," he murmured, "Why are you teasing me like this?"

She paused, her confidence waning, "I'm not trying to tease you, Lark. I'm trying to make sense of... _it_."

"Make sense of what?" Lark repeated, sucking in his breath again as she trailed her fingers down his neck, back to his pectorals.

"Did you..." Wendy's voice trailed off, her thought lost in translation.

"Did I what?" Lark asked softly. He couldn't think straight. Honestly, he just didn't want her to stop. His body was tingling, his breathing erratic.

Wendy took a deep breath. She had to know...maybe if she knew, these weird emotions would stop, "Did you mean it...when you said _it_ meant something to you?"

Lark nodded, locking eyes with her. She was talking about the kiss. She'd been acting weird all day, trying to make him laugh...play fighting with him at the beach. He didn't know what had caused the sudden shift in her personality, but now at least he knew they were talking about _it._

"I meant every word."

Wendy swallowed, feeling the intensity of his gaze, "I don't understand myself, Lark. I don't know what these feelings are. I've never experienced anything like this in my entire existence. I can't understand why I feel bad about you not helping that couple at the wedding...or why I want to touch you…or why it bothers me that you stopped teasing me."

He paused, noting how close they were. Every fibre of his being called to her, begging her to close the distance...or tell him that it was okay.

Tears edged her eyes. Lark's heart beat wildly. He couldn't stand to see those tears.

"But you won't kiss me again," she murmured, "Not unless I-"

"Ask me," Lark whispered, wrapping his arms around her lower back. He bent his head so that his lips hovered just above hers. He used his hand to cup her face, her hands still laying placidly on his chest.

Wendy froze, completely engrossed in his embrace. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"It's okay, Wendy," he murmured in her ear, "I'm not pressuring you into anything. But please don't tease me...not like that. When you touch me, I want to -"

She cut him off, lifting his face and smashing her lips against his. Lark fought the urge to jump backward as shock hit him full force. This was the _last_ thing he'd expected. Wendy had been getting increasingly more flirtatious, but he would never have expected her to…

 _What are you doing, Lark? Kiss her back!_

He still hesitated, but got over it when she pushed him back against the wall, pressing her body firmly into his. He poured every ounce of sexual frustration he'd had over the last several days into kissing her back as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing herself up on her tiptoes.

Wendy pulled away when she was out of breath, flattening her feet back to the ground, but she didn't back out of his embrace. Lark's heart was beating so hard, he was sure Wendy could hear it. He closed his eyes, listening to see if he could hear hers.

"That's it, isn't it?" she whispered, "I wanted to kiss you."

He lowered his forehead against hers, saying nothing. Their breaths still mingled, both of them breathing heavily.

Her thoughts were jumbled, but for the first time in her existence, Wendy didn't _want_ to think.

Their eyes locked as Wendy slowly tightened her grip around his neck. He leaned into her, running his hands up and down her back.

"I can't think straight," Wendy gulped, "And my pulse is racing...and I'm sweating!"

"It's okay," Lark whispered, smoothing her bangs out of her eyes, "It's normal. We can stop now if you want to. I don't want to scare you. Nothing else has to happen."

She paused, noting that his brow was furrowed with sweat too..his chest rising and falling as the same rate as hers. There was an unfamiliar pull toward him - like she _needed_ to be as close to him as possible. She _needed_ the contact.

"Maybe I want it to happen," she said finally, her voice cracking.

Lark's eyes went wide. His heart stopped as she took his hand, her face flushing as she backed up, taking him with her to the edge of the bed. They sunk to the mattress side by side, arms wrapped around each other so that their nearly naked bodies were flush.

Wendy leaned forward, claiming his lips once more. All reasonable thought left Lark at that moment as he became completely lost in the arms of his Angel.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I figured I owed you all a bit of fluff since the last chapter was so heavy… and it's Valentine's...so you're welcome :D**_

 _ **I'm also releasing Gray this week for Valentine's, so you can look forward to another moment there. Then, I might be quiet for a week or two. I've been running Wordsaremyspells1331 ragged with all my demands. Lol**_

 _ **I love your comments!**_

 _ **Happy Valentine's Day, all!**_

 _ **Muah!**_

 _ **~Shana~**_


	36. Chapter 36

"Okay…" Natsu slurred, slamming his empty beer on the table as he motioned to the barkeeper for another, "So what yer tellin' me is that when I waz an Angeler, they calleded me the _Angshel of Oopshi-daishy."_

"Yup!" Gray hiccuped, motioning to the barkeeper, who had just handed Natsu his beer, that he'd like another one too, "Thas whad we called ya."

"And who're you again?" Natsu squinted at Gray, pausing only to suck back some of his fresh beer, "Hmm, we frens?"

Gray paused for a minute, his face scrunched as he muttered back, "Ya...I alays yer bigges supporta. Yer bes fren. Thawuz me."

Lyon raised an eyebrow, looking at Juvia to see if she was going to do anything to slow Gray's drinking. Jellal had said to let them have a little fun. He doubted that meant they should get smashed.

' _And they were getting more smashed than pumpkins on November 1'_ , he mused with a smirk _._

Beside him, Sorano and Ezel surveyed the bar for signs of trouble. Cana wasn't drunk at all, despite rapidly chasing her third beer with a fourth. Surely a human could not hold much more liquor than that before feeling the effects. Gray and Natsu were long gone, and they'd only had 3 beers each so far. Bacchus, on the other hand, was tipsy at the very least. Virgo slammed her beers back, watching Bacchus, Romeo, and Cana carefully. They were playing a game to outlast each other and she was dying to know how the loser would be punished. By the sounds of the crowd, Romeo was the player favourite.

"I'm uneasy," Sorano told Lyon and Ezel, "I don't like that Jellal and the others aren't back yet."

Lyon nodded, wondering if she had felt the chill too.

"I don't think they'll try for us tonight," Ezel shook his head, "They'll wait to see what we know first. They have no direction either."

"Still, it's only a matter of time before Larcade figures out how to contact someone," Sorano said urgently, "They're bound to announce their presence at some point. We _must_ find them first."

Gray and Natsu were standing on their table, singing along obnoxiously as they swayed to the Irish tune blaring from the overhead speakers. They seemed to be making up most of the words, trailing off to hum, swig beer, then nod their heads furiously, only to redouble their volume when the chorus came back. Of course, they only seemed to remember the first six _words,_ which would lead them back to the humming and swigging.

"I'm certain the Intelligence Team will come up with something," Lyon assured her, "But you're right...something has to give eventually...and when it does, we need to be in the right place if there's any hope of protecting Wendy and Larcade."

"Erreybuddy!" Natsu yelled, raising his beer to cheers the crowd. Various drunks saluted their own glasses back at him.

"'C'mon, Juves! Sing ith us!" Gray reached out his hand to his red-faced wife. Apparently he'd forgotten that while he was temporarily visible, she _wasn't._

Ezel groaned at the horrendous harmonizing of Gray and Natsu with the rest of the crowd, "Although if the demons don't attack Natsu and Gray, I might. Seriously… they're worse than Gajeel."

* * *

Jellal, Minerva, and Midnight held their positions, keeping a careful watch over the demons that edged closer to the bar.

"What's your count?" Jellal asked Midnight.

"Ten," the dark-haired Angel said in a low voice, "But they're not advancing anymore. They're holding their position."

Jellal nodded, scanning the shadows for any sign of movements.

"The red-haired one...the one that can't sit still," Minerva pointed downward at a wavering demoness, "I've seen her before."

"Where?" Jellal asked.

Minerva shook her head, "I don't know...but I know I've seen her before."

Midnight hummed to himself, "So...are we going to find out which hotel housed our little runaways?"

Jellal nodded, "Can you keep watch while Minerva and I check things out now?"

Midnight hummed again, zeroing in on specific faces of the demons below, "Go. I doubt they'll get any closer tonight. It'll be your best chance to investigate."

Jellal nodded to Minerva, both of them _transporting_ off the top of the building without another word.

Midnight shook his head, noting a few familiar faces himself. He couldn't place the faces, but he couldn't shake the feeling...he _knew_ some of those demons.

* * *

Layla sat back on her ankles, clapping gleefully as Brielle and Connor finished singing the Fiore National Anthem for her. Even though it was _sorely_ out of tune and she was positive they didn't get all the words right, she was delighted.

"Wonderful!" she exclaimed to the beaming children.

Lucy couldn't help the tears from forming in her eyes as her mother embraced both children tightly. How she'd dreamed of this...her mom playing with her kids.. She felt another pang in her heart, wishing Lark and Natsu could be here too. Natsu had always been convinced he and Layla would get along. She had no doubt of that. Natsu was easy to love, but he would absolutely bend over backwards to impress the mother that Lucy revered so much. She imagined Layla would love Lark too. He had a charm that made him special to everybody...but she had always imagined a _special_ bond between Lark and Layla. Somehow she knew her mother would have connected with him on a level that nobody else could.

Layla had made a point of spending time with each child, even the ones that technically didn't live at the Dragneel house. She revelled in how grown up Aki and Hansuke were, stroking their hair gently as she took in their features. She told Sora she had very special parents and that she was very fortunate to have the home life that she did. She had to pause twice before speaking to Sting's children since Mieske insisted on showing her his latest art project. She praised it, thrilled to finally have a talented artist in her bloodlines. Ren and Saichi both watched her in quiet awe as she expressed to them that they were both 'just like their father', then moved on to a big hug with Megumi. She told Toby and Yuka not to worry... they would never go back to the streets again...and an Angel's promise was binding.

The kids were all enamoured with Layla Heartfilia and Lucy couldn't help but mourn the years they hadn't gotten to enjoy with her. It made every moment even more precious to her.

"I hate to say it, my sweet ones, but the adults must get back to work," Layla ran a hand down Aimi's cheek, then patted Haru's head, "So beautiful. You both look just like your mother."

"Our mother?" Aimi asked.

Layla nodded, "I'll tell you one day when we have more time."

Haru held Aimi's shoulder as she looked back at her brother, her eyes wide. They knew nothing about their birth parents at all. Their records had burned with the orphanage and they'd never thought to ask. Now, their curiosity was peaked and they wished Layla had more time to talk.

"Getting back to our lead, then," Aki interrupted, stepping forward, "We think Dan could be hiding out at the clearing."

"It's a good theory," Yukino told them, "So when we have free officers, we will definitely check that out. We just don't have the manpower right now."

"But shouldn't it be a priority?" Mieske interjected, "What if the police are scouring Magnolia for him and he's been at the clearing the whole time?"

"We will," Laki promised him, "All in good time. Now...how about you go back upstairs? We need to talk to Layla."

The kids exchanged glances, none of them happy about being dismissed.

"Let's go," Sora said finally, catching the pleading look in Levy's eyes, "Maybe we can put our heads together and figure out how to communicate with Lark."

The other kids nodded slowly, following the older girls and the Exceeds back upstairs solemnly.

"Do you have news for us?" Levy asked hopefully.

"You might say that," Layla agreed, gesturing to Mira.

"We found a way for humans to defend themselves from demons," Mira acknowledged.

The ladies exchanged glances, then eagerly leaned forward to listen.

* * *

Daisuke could hear screaming in the hallway, the loud bellows of an enraged male patient echoed throughout the building. He sat up, wondering what Daphne would do if he tried to sneak a look at what the commotion was.

All at once, the noise stopped, the halls settling into quiet once again. He stilled as the knob of his door turned. He feigned drooping eyelids to feign his ongoing sedated ruse in case it was Daphne returning to check on him.

"What happened?" he asked groggily as Daphne entered the room.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Daphne clicked her tongue, crossing to Daisuke's bedside. She handed him a cup with pills in it, "Take these."

"Am I going home anytime soon?" Daisuke complained as she replaced the bag.

"Yes, yes. You ask that everytime I'm in here! All in due time," she lied easily, "We have to make sure the infection is gone first."

Daisuke bit his tongue in an effort to stay quiet. Since he'd stopped taking the pills, there had been no fevers, no chills, and very little pain. He knew damned well there was no infection left.

He waited for her to leave the room before taking the horrid tasting pills out of his mouth, then stuffed them underneath the mattress with the others. Picking up his cell phone, he dialed Aki's number, a little unnerved when the call abruptly cut off. Frowning, he tried his mother's number, only to get the same response. That was really weird. Why couldn't he call out? He decided to try Sora's number. Just as he was about to hit 'send', the phone rang.

"Sora! I was just trying to call you!" he exclaimed.

Team Exceed called everyday around this time. It was becoming a tradition.

" _No patience! Sorry we're a couple minutes late. We have some pretty exciting things happening around here. How are you doing?"_ Her clear soprano came down the line.

"I'm good. I want to get out of here." He tried to sound firm, but a bit of anxiety slipped into his voice.

" _I can imagine. If you're not released soon, we're going to have to bust you out."_

Daisuke laughed, but it was forced, "That might actually be necessary. Come and get me now. I want to go home."

" _Tell him about the phone call!"_ he heard Mieske call out from the background.

" _Oh right! I had a missed call this morning,"_ Sora told him, " _From Area Code 734. Aki is tracing it now. She says she'll call you later. We're hoping it was a call from-"_

"A telemarketer," Daisuke interrupted, "It was probably a telemarketer."

Sora paused, catching the urgency in his voice.

" _Yeah. Here it is here. Some agency...trying to sell stamps."_

She paused.

" _Daisuke - did you fall off the swings?_ "

It was a code phrase Lark, Sora, and Daisuke had used since they were kids...one that they used whenever they needed to get their story straight in front of their parents. A flutter of relief shot through him. She understood that they couldn't talk freely. Now at least the teens would know he was in trouble.

"Yeah," he answered, "Long ways down."

" _We'll talk to you tomorrow."_

"Okay."

He just hoped Sora understood his message.

He hung up after they were done talking, then tried to call her again to test his theory. Sure enough, the line disconnected before the first ring.

* * *

Romeo jumped out of the way as Gray and Natsu rolled past him throwing drunken punches that swung wildly into the air more often than they connected with flesh. He wasn't sure which man had started the fight and quite frankly he didn't care. Juvia and Virgo were watching the fight intently, making wagers on who the winner would be. Lyon, Ezel, and Sorano were busy speaking in hushed tones to each other while Bacchus had taken on a challenge with some of the tavern men to drink them under the table.

Cana sat alone at a table, watching the chaos with casual amusement. Romeo didn't know her well, but he knew that she liked her liquor. Still, even knowing she was likely well past 5 beers, she didn't appear to be tipsy at all.

He sat down beside her, offering a wide grin.

"What are you grinning at?" she teased.

"Just wondering how you don't have alcohol poisoning yet," he shrugged.

"I have a pretty high tolerance," she told him, "There's not a lot of drinks out there with the alcohol levels _I_ need to get drunk."

He laughed, setting his beer down at the table so he could join her.

"You're a counsellor, right?" he asked nonchalantly. He knew perfectly well what her function was at Fairy Tail...but he needed to get her talking if there was any hope of getting information.

"Yeah!" she yelled over the din as Gray landed a solid jab that connected squarely with Natsu's jaw, "Been at Fairy Tail since it opened!"

"Is it true that you're clairvoyant?" he asked.

Cana laughed, "Yeah...although I'm not sure what those idiots at the precinct have been telling you, so don't believe everything you hear."

"Just that you're very talented," he assured her.

She laughed again, chugging back the remainder of her beer before gesturing to the barkeeper to bring another. "That can mean a lot of things, rookie."

In the background, Natsu and Gray had each other in head locks, the men of the crowd cheering their encouragement.

"So what's your take on this whole situation?" Romeo asked.

Cana frowned, reluctantly turning away from the action, "Pardon me?"

Romeo shrugged, "We're on the other side of Fiore chasing Natsu's teenage kid and an 'Angel'. Demons are following us and we're a long ways from home getting drunk at a bar. Doesn't any of this seem weird to you? Are you getting premonitions and stuff?"

She eyed him warily, the way a bird eyes a cat, "That's not how clairvoyance works."

"Well, does it give you an inkling as to what side we should be on?"

Cana tilted her head, "Excuse me?"

Romeo let out a soft huff, trying to find words to explain himself, "How do we know we're on the right side, Cana? All these 'beings' appeared from nowhere. How do we know we can trust the Angels? Can we even trust that they are the real Angels in all of this?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Cana countered, her eyes challenging him.

Romeo snickered at her expression, "I find it overwhelming. So much has happened in recent weeks, I don't even know what to believe anymore. Everything I thought I knew about how the world works is out the window. Now these 'Angels' appear out of nowhere, telling us we have to adhere to their plans...protect some kid that has done nothing but cause grief for his parents since the day they adopted him...and now we're in a race against 'Demons' to find him before they do. Just saying...how do we know we're on the right side?"

"How could you ever consider that we're not?" Cana retorted. She didn't elaborate, still watching Romeo pour back his beer. Something was nagging at her. The skin at the back of her neck prickled...it was concerning that _Romeo_ of all people would set her radars off.

"I didn't get to see the Angels in action," Romeo told her, "I had to get Aki out of the forest to keep her safe. You saw the whole thing though, didn't you? You were held captive for several days. You probably saw more than you care to admit."

"I suppose so," Cana replied carefully.

She studied his face, wondering what he was getting at. He was obviously prodding for something specific. Cops were trained to ease into conversations to get the information they needed.

But Counsellors were trained to detect when a person wasn't divulging the whole truth. Warning bells went off her in head to keep quiet - not tell him anything. But that didn't mean two couldn't play at that game.

"What do you want to know, Romeo?" Cana asked point-blank.

Romeo's mouth fell open, a little stunned that she'd caught onto the fact that he was trying to get her to tell him something.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed off his shock, forcing himself to meet her eyes. Perhaps the best method was to ask her directly anyways.

"What happened?" Romeo asked, maintaining eye contact, "I'm trying to piece this all together...make sense of it in my head. Natsu is my partner… and in some ways, I probably know him better than Lucy does. What happened out on that field? What happened that day in the boxing ring?"

"That was explained. He's an Angel."

Romeo shook his head, "Not really. Not anymore at least. Plus, I saw that red glint in his eyes, Cana. You and I both know that was not Angelic."

Cana folded her hands in front of her, continuing to stare at him. He still hadn't come to the point of his impromptu interrogation.

Gray landed on the table beside them, smashing it to splinters on the ground. He growled, leaping to his feet, then charged back toward Natsu, his shirt and pants landing on Cana and Romeo's table behind him.

Romeo's expression had changed again...like he knew Cana wasn't going to tell him anything.

"We'll talk later," Romeo hummed, "I sort of want to see how this fight pans out. Don't you?"

He grinned, sipping his almost-empty mug of beer. Cana's eyes followed Romeo through the crowd, a chill running down her spine. Something about him was very strange tonight. While she didn't know Romeo well, he didn't normally give her the heebie-jeebies like that either. And Cana had learned long ago to trust her instincts.

"Cana! Fight's getting good!" Virgo yelled, interrupting her thoughts, "Come join us and place your bet!"

Natsu and Gray were now on the ground, rolling back and forth as they did their best to rid each other of their underwear.

Sighing, Cana got up from her table. She would have to feign having fun to appease her peers, but she was really starting to worry. She couldn't shake the nagging feeling of being watched.

* * *

"That's the one," Minerva told Jellal as she joined them on the rooftop across the street from the hotel she'd just left. She ran her hands over her hair, returning to her natural dark coloured hair, "That's the hotel Lark and Wendy stayed at."

"Interesting," Jellal hummed, "I don't sense their Aura here. They've been gone for at least a day."

Minerva nodded, "The train station should be able to trace where they went."

Jellal frowned as Minerva disappeared into thin air. He narrowed his eyes, once again scanning for any demons below. He didn't like how close they were...simply watching the tavern like they were waiting for something.

He followed Minera into the train station. They needed to get back to the others as soon as possible.

* * *

"In the past, all humans had the potential to hold magic power," Layla informed them, "Some humans became mages who were every bit as powerful as Angels and demons alike. Unfortunately, some people grew too greedy for power, using their gifts to conquer and steal instead of help. Before long, mages were hunted by humans who did not practice magic..and there was a brutal war. By the end of the Great War, Ankhseram had no choice but to seal magic away from the humans as punishment for the ones who had abused his gift. All humans are devoid of magic in this day and age...unable to ever acquire it again… or so he would have you believe."

The women glanced at each other, hanging on her every word.

"We found the key to unlocking the curse," Layla said finally, "We can restore magic to humans...but only for a short time. Once we've driven off the threat, we will reseal the magic away."

"We need to hide it as much as possible," Mira added, "We don't want to expose the fact that at one time, all humans held the potential to be a magic user. We need to avoid another power hungry war over magic at all costs."

"War is going to happen no matter what we do," Levy piped up, "I don't see how we can hide it from humans. Sooner or later, one side is going to fold. Once humans, Angels, and demons collide, there's going to be civilian casualties. We can't avoid it and we won't be able to contain that level of devastation."

"Which is why we have to be selective on who receives the gift," Layla cut in, "And they'll need to understand that it's only temporary. Ankhseram took away magic for a reason. The only reason I'm even _considering_ this is because there is no defense right now for Fairy Tail humans...and every last one of you are targets. You are at the demons' mercy...and the words _demon_ and _merciful_ do not go together _._ While we Angels will do everything in our power to protect you, you need to be able to protect yourselves… and your families."

A solemn silence overtook the table.

Layla sighed heavily against the tension filling the room, "The point here is that we can unleash certain people's _abilities_ for a temporary time. Ankhseram put it all in this book."

She held up a plain, hardcover green book. It was unremarkable in appearance, yet each woman stared at it with reverence.

"So...how do we do this?" Lisanna asked, "Who gets to have _abilities?"_

Mira put her hand on her sister's shoulder, "Only the humans we trust. If we are able to obtain _abilities_ even for the short term, suddenly the playing field is leveled."

"It would help if the police were released from the hospital," Yukino sighed, "We are sorely undermanned."

"We'll just have to work with the humans we have now," Mira replied, "We'd like to test it first. Any volunteers?"

The Angels exchanged looks with their human counterparts. Lucy was about to raise her hand, but Lisanna beat her to it.

"I'll do it," her voice wavered, sounding both nervous and excited to be the test subject.

Layla nodded, "Okay. Step closer and we'll start with you."

Lucy and Levy exchanged glances as everyone leaned closer in to the table. Layla began to explain the process of unlocking _abilities._

* * *

Daisuke waited until the shuffling of the various nurses out in the hallway died down before sitting up. He strained his ears against the silence, anxiously listening for any sounds.

They were gone. It was time for the shift change and all staff would be in the meeting room for the next half an hour. Daphne would be going home. His night nurse, Seilah, never spoke to Daisuke other than to tell him to go to sleep. She made Daisuke nervous, her eyes almost completely black, like some weird alien from a sci-fi show.

He shuddered, reminding himself of his time limit, then got back to the task at hand.

As he swung his feet over the edge of the bed, Daisuke was pleased to discover most of his pain was gone, but he still tested his ability to hold his own weight before taking his first steps in several days.

He tiptoed to the door, opening it as silently as he could before peering into the hallway. Sure enough, the floor was vacant of nurses. He barely dared to breathe, staying alongside the wall, as he crept toward the room next to him.

"I'll get it!" a female voice called, "I think I left it on the desk!"

Daisuke's eyes widened as he heard footsteps. Panicking, he dove for the nearest door, slipping inside the room.

"Daisuke!" the occupant exclaimed, obviously surprised to see him.

Daisuke whirled around in alarm...until he saw that he was face to face with none other than Gildarts Clive.

"Hey…" Gildarts greeted as Daisuke closed the door behind him, "How ya doin', kid?"

Daisuke crossed the room, drawing in a sharp breath as he realized Gildarts was handcuffed to the hospital bed on both sides, his legs held down by restraints. His face had faint remains of a large bruise, but otherwise, he looked pretty good for a man who had almost died.

"What did they do to you?" Daisuke asked, alarmed.

"I tried to leave," Gildarts told him, "They were pushing me to take more pills...but I don't need them and they make me feel weird. There's nothing wrong with me anymore, so I told them I'm fine and I wanted to go home. They refused to release me, so I tried to leave on my own. Took out 3 orderlies before they shot me full of some sedative. When I woke up, they'd restrained me."

Daisuke moved forward, nimble fingers trying to undo the restraints on Gildarts' legs, "Then it's not just me...they're preventing us from leaving."

"I suspect so, kid," Gildarts murmured, " I know for a fact I heard Vijeeter's voice earlier. I think everyone is on this floor."

Gildarts stretched his legs as Daisuke undid the last buckle, letting out a sigh of gratitude.

"I don't know if I can get the cuffs off," Daisuke said regretfully, "Not without a key."

"That's okay. I'll figure it out...I have my ways," Gildarts assured him, "Listen, kid. You don't have a lot of time...and you need to know there are cameras watching our every move. They're going to know you've been out of your room."

"What should I do?" Daisuke asked, trying to pull at the right cuff to see if it would loosen.

" _Stop worrying about me_ ," Gildarts stressed, "Find a way to get out of here. Maybe you can alert someone on your cell."

"My cell phone isn't working. The line goes dead any time I try," Daisuke told him, "But I can receive incoming calls because Sora called me."

Gildarts frowned, "That's weird. Maybe you can call out from the front desk...but you have to hurry. You haven't got much time before they figure out you've left your room."

Daisuke nodded, backing toward the door.

"Don't go back to your room, Daisuke," Gildarts warned, "Get off this floor and call the cops once you're safe."

Daisuke nodded again, checking the hallway before slipping outside the room.

Taking a deep breath, he went straight for the end of the hall. He realized quickly that there was no way off the floor. The elevator was unresponsive no matter how many times he pushed the buttons. The windows were blackened out with screens. He could see a staircase sign on either end of the hallway, but when he tried to open the door at either end, they remained locked.

He would have to try to call for help in other ways. He beelined for the nurse's desk, aware that he was running out of time. Picking up the receiver of the nurse's desk telephone, he dialed 911, cursing under his breath as he realized there was no dial tone. Apparently, nurses couldn't call out either. The line was dead. All exits sealed.

His eyes fell to the computer screen in front of him, which had been left on. Daisuke's eyes lit up, thrilled to see it had been left open to the admitting page...complete with a list of everyone admitted to this ward. He drew in a sharp breath as he scanned the list of patients.

"They _are_ keeping us together," he murmured, noting every single name was a Magnolia Police Department member or an associate.

He clicked on Gildarts name, scanning the chart quickly. There was a brief history of the nature of his injuries, a list of his medications, and orders for him to be sedated. The chart was marked 'this patient has violent tendencies and is to remain restrained for his own good'.

Daisuke shook his head, erasing the line. He was about to enter a new order when he saw the button at the top of the screen...marked 'Discharge'. Cocking his head to make sure the halls were still quiet, he clicked on it, scheduling Gildarts to be released the next morning.

He was going to be caught when the cameras were checked anyway...there was no way off the floor...he might as well cause as much damage as possible in the meantime. He swiftly clicked on the next name.

* * *

Natsu wasn't nearly as drunk as he was pretending to be. He was mostly just having fun, blowing off steam. Still, he had an odd sense of satisfaction as he tousled across the barroom with Gray... and now Lyon, who had joined the fray minutes ago.

The distraction did little to interrupt his thoughts.

Natsu knew the dark-haired Angel had been around him for most of his life. The sense of familiarity was there. He found a deep sense of satisfaction in their friendship, even if he couldn't remember it. He _wanted_ to remember. He wanted to understand who the heck he was. Maybe if he figured that out, he'd be able to help his son.

"What are you doing Flame-Brain?!" Gray cried out as Natsu and Lyon closed in from either side, "You're supposed to be on my side!"

Natsu snickered, "Dude...we didn't make up teams!"

Gray growled, his face contorting into a determined smirk. He smacked both hands on his own bare chest, "Come and get me then!"

Both Natsu and Lyon pounced, glancing around the room in confusion as Gray disappeared completely from underneath them.

"No _transporting!"_ Lyon yelled, "That's cheating!"

"Gray!" Juvia whispered harshly as Gray appeared beside her, "You're visible - you can't just disappear like that!"

Natsu snickered as Gray mumbled out some drunk drabble about everyone else being too drunk to care, making Juvia roll her eyes. Maybe Natsu was acting a little more drunk than he was...but Gray was _just drunk_.

"Maybe we should move to the hotel," Virgo suggested, "I'm certain everyone else will already be back there."

"Plus if Bacchus here drinks anymore, we're going to have to roll him back," Cana laughed.

She caught Natsu's eye, winking as she gestured to Romeo and Bacchus who were still in the middle of the drinking contest.

Natsu grinned, starting his trek over to the drunken pair. Gray and Lyon had gathered their jackets, stumbling over each other to get the seat next to Juvia, who rolled her eyes again .

Natsu paused, feeling a low rumbling in the ground. He paused, glancing around to see if anyone had felt it. The boisterous bar hadn't reacted at all. Humming to himself that maybe his alcohol had gone to his head a little more than he wanted to admit, he managed to gather the troops, all them leaving in a semi-group..

Cana hung back with Natsu, noting the tension spreading through his shoulders. She glanced around the parking lot nervously, watching Natsu put his nose into the air. He sniffed it twice, a frown on his face.

Gray and Lyon were singing at the top of their lungs, arms slung over each other like they were suddenly best friends. Ezel glanced around, picking up on Natsu's nervousness.

"What is it?" Cana whispered to him, concern on her face.

Her eyes locked with Romeo's, who was looking backward at the two who had fallen behind.

Natsu's eyes met Ezel's. The large Angel looked as jittery as Natsu felt. His stomach churned, the familiar nauseousness threatening to make him hurl on the spot. He had felt this before...usually before a demon attack.

"It's nothing," Natsu assured her, "Let's get back to the hotel."

He ushered her forward, encouraging the entire group to walk a little faster.

* * *

Minerva exited the train station, her face furrowed into a frown, "It looks like they left about 36 hours ago. They bought an open ended ticket to the other side of Fiore, but they don't keep records of whether a passenger makes the stop or not. They could be anywhere between here and Matza Valley."

Jellal sighed heavily, "At least we know Wendy has been well trained. She's not making this easy for us."

"Should we tell the others what we know?" Minerva asked, "Or at least report back to the Intelligence Team."

Jellal shook his head slowly, his stomach twinging at the thought of betraying Erza with the silence. Still, the lives of the people and Angels with him were on his shoulders...as well as the lives of Wendy and Larcade. If this information got to the demons - even Wendy and Larcade's general _direction -_ he doubted the demons would bother following the Angels for long.

"Let's keep it quiet," he murmured, "Maybe you and I can leave Onibus tomorrow...send everyone else to the next town."

"Jellal…" Minerva said, the uncertainty in her voice tweaking his guilty conscious, "Maybe we should tell them why we're splitting the group. I'm sure they'd go along with it and give us a chance to go on ahead."

His cell phone went off, the ring tone indicating a call from Erza.

"Hello, my darling," he answered pleasantly, avoiding Minerva's stare, "Yes. Nothing has changed. We're in Onibus. So far no progress, but we have seen bits and pieces of evidence that they've been here. Any luck on finding Dan Straight?"

Minerva let out a snort of disapproval. He'd been adamant only a couple weeks ago that he wouldn't try to do everything himself anymore...he'd trust his wife and their team. But here he was…falling into his old patterns without hesitation.

Minerva knew it wasn't because he didn't think the other Angels couldn't do what he did...it was because he never wanted to be the cause of anyone's demise ever again. Even now, he blamed himself for what happened to Erza and Ultear all those years ago. The guilt laid like a heavy cloak on his shoulders and muffled his speech as if a scarf was wrapped around his face... She wondered if he realized he was putting his relationship with Erza on the line for a guilt that should have been absolved years ago.

"I love you too...I hope to see you soon," Jellal ended the call, noting the scowl on Minerva's brow.

He sighed irritably, knowing she was about to lay into him.

"Don't say it," he murmured, "I don't want Erza out there, worrying about us. She needs to stay sharp. We'll tell the team we're being watched. Tomorrow, we'll try to trace Lark and Wendy's steps from the train. They won't be any help until they've sobered up."

"I'm going to say it anyway," Minerva hissed, "As your _friend_...you're playing with fire, Jellal. You need to consider what's at stake here."

He nodded to her, "Acknowledged. I'm just trying to keep everyone safe."

"That job is not yours alone."

Jellal didn't reply. He was aware. He also knew the fewer people that could discern the direction Wendy and Lark had taken, the better.

* * *

Lisanna sat in a chair, her eyes closed as Mira took one hand, Layla taking the other.

"Elfman and I both have Takeover _abilities_ ," Mira said softly, concentrating as Layla opened the book, "So it's reasonable to assume that you, little sister, will have an _ability_ similar to ours."

"When we've completed the spell," Layla said softly, "You may not feel different for a time. The book states that it will take a bit of time for your magical container to fill, so don't be disappointed if nothing happens right away."

Lisanna nodded, gulping nervously.

Levy and Lucy exchanged glances, Lucy wondering what kind of _ability_ she might have. They hadn't had a chance to discuss Layla's _abilities_ yet. The kids would be very excited about this, she thought with amusement _._ It turned out, they very well could have 'super powers'.

It was awfully quiet upstairs. Lucy wondered what the kids were up to.

Layla began to murmur unintelligible words, snapping Lucy back to the moment in front of her.

" _Sit caelesti aura influunt per venas. Restituere caritas Ankhseram huic filia dilecta. Da ei potestas in Caelo custodire ab hostibus tuam_."

Lisanna opened her eyes, glancing at both Layla and Mira before looking down at her hands.

"How do you feel?" Yukino asked anxiously.

Lisanna shook one hand, "Tingly. But not really different."

"We'll wait to see if anything happens before trying it with someone else," Layla determined.

Lisanna nodded, waving a hand in front of her face again. It was an odd sensation, but not at all unpleasant.

"I hope it works," Lucy whispered to Levy, "Something needs to change in our favour soon, or I'm going to go ballistic."

* * *

Daisuke could hear voices down the hall. The nurses were finished their meeting and the new shift would be returning soon. He hurried, almost done discharging the entire floor and ordering seization of all sedation medications. He kept his own profile for last.

He opened his own profile, pausing to stare at it. Every phone call he'd received or sent out since the day he'd arrived was summarized there. He opened the page, his eyes widening as he read the content.

' _Phone call from Aki Dragneel: 9:28 am. They miss each other. Aki hopes Daisuke will be released soon. Aki told Daisuke she is part of 'Team Exceed' and that so far there are no leads on Larcade's whereabouts.'_

' _Phone call from his mother: 2:03 pm. Mother states that she'll bring a book for Daisuke tomorrow.'_

' _Daily phone call from Sora Redfox's phone - 'Team Exceed': 4:33 pm. Sora Redfox told Daisuke 'Team Exceed' miss him. States that she received a phone call from an unknown area code. Daisuke stated it was likely a telemarketer. Searched area code. Sending results to search team.'_

"Shit," Daisuke whispered.

He opened up the web browser, quickly opening the telecommunications page to locate the source of the area code Sora had mentioned to him - 734. That was northern Fiore.

But if he had figured that out, that meant whoever was tracking the information given on his cell phone had figured that out. They would want the rest of that phone number from Sora in order to pinpoint the city where the phone call had originated.

Sora was in deep trouble.

Furthermore, if it _was_ Lark that had reached out to Sora, they would find him as soon as they managed to get the rest of the phone number from Sora.

Daisuke couldn't call out...and even if he could, he couldn't safely tell anyone anything safely over the phone anyway. Quickly, he tried to access his Facebook, Twitter, and email. A popup warning came onto the screen, warning that no apps with personal information could be accessed from that computer.

There was no choice...he had to try to escape. He had set the discharge time of every in-patient on the floor for 6:00 am the next day. But he couldn't wait that long.

His heart pounded as he contemplated his options. He sprang out of the seat, going to the nearest window. It was sealed shut. From what he could see, he was on the fourth or fifth floor. Even if he could open the window, he couldn't escape that way.

He could hear the nurses' voices louder than before. A door must have been opened. Eyes wide, Daisuke scanned the room for something...any idea that would get him out of this predicament. He had to warn Sora before it was too late.

* * *

Natsu was sharing a motel room with Romeo, Jellal, and Ezel, but he was restless. He turned again, huffing in frustration as Ezel let out a loud snore beside him. He elbowed the big Angel in the gut but Ezel was out cold and didn't respond.

Romeo and Jellal were conked out too. Romeo had had too much drink in the end, but he had no idea why Jellal was so tired. He, Minerva, and Midnight had arrived back at the motel just before the rest of the group, already in their rooms to settle down for the night. Natsu's nauseousness had gone away once they were safely inside. Whatever had been watching them had either stopped tracking them, or had no intentions of attacking.

He turned onto his back, thinking about Lucy. He missed her. He hated being so far away from her, but their separation was necessary if he was going to find Lark.

He sighed, remembering their wedding day. The happy memories mixed with memories of his recent life events seemed to lull him into an uneasy sleep.

" _Naaatttsuuuuu_."

Natsu turned onto his side, a little aggravated that Ezel's snores were now sounding like he was calling his name. It would be a good idea to get at least _some_ sleep. Jellal had mentioned the group would be moving on from Onibus the next day.

" _Naaatttsuuuuu_."

Natsu stilled, knowing for sure this time that his name hadn't come from Ezel. It was something else. He froze, listening intently for several minutes, ears pricked…waiting. He was just starting to think he was going crazy when he heard it again.

" _Naaatttsuuuuu_."

He glanced at the window by his bedside. Their vehicles were outside the door. As far as he knew, everyone else was asleep.

He sat up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and listened again. The nauseousness returned, causing him to clutch his stomach. There was no doubt in his mind. He was not alone.

His name was not called again, but he did see a shadow move outside the curtained window. Checking to ensure he hadn't woken his roommates, Natsu slipped on his jeans, not bothering with a shirt as he slipped out the door, ignoring his churning stomach.

The parking lot was empty, save for Natsu's family van and Cana's Honda Civic. He pulled the door shut behind him. Listening. Watching for shadows.

"Who's there?" he called out quietly.

A lone woman with fiery red hair stepped out from behind his van. She wavered in her stance, smiling gently as she took another step forward, her red dress sashaying with the slight breeze.

Natsu shook his head. He knew this person. He'd seen her before somewhere.

"Where have I seen you?" he demanded.

She grinned, taking another step, "We met at the Church, Natsu. We tried to get you to come out to play. It's too bad you don't remember. When your true self comes out, you feel _alive._ "

Other figures stepped out of the darkness. Natsu couldn't see their faces, but they surrounded him, leaving him trapped in front of his motel room door.

Natsu shook his head, taking a step backward as she advanced again.

"You're on the wrong side, Natsu," she said softly, running a finger down his bicep.

Natsu jerked his arm away from her, "I have no idea what you're talking about..."

"My name is Flare," she purred, reaching again for him, "I'm here to take you home."

Natsu jumped backward, landing against the wall of the motel, "Get away from me. I'm not going anywhere with you! I'm going back to bed!"

A large man had slipped behind Natsu, blocking the motel room door. Another was forcing Natsu into the centre of the group.

"I don't think so," Flare grinned impishly in a way that made his blood run cold, "At least not until you hear what we have to say."

Natsu weighed his options. The man behind him was huge – curly brown locks cascading down to his shoulders. A blonde man with an Elvis-like hairdo stood on Flare's other side, snickering audibly. He still couldn't see the others...but he'd have little chance against so many. Even if he yelled out to wake his team, the demons would have several minutes to do whatever they wanted with him before the others could realize he needed help.

"What do you want?" Natsu asked finally.

"Come with us," Flare whispered, extending her hand, "We want to take you home to see your brother. Then, we'll help you find Larcade."

"I don't have a brother," Natsu spat, his voice a little louder. He considered shouting to wake up the rest of his group again, but something inside him warned him to listen.

"You _do_ have a brother," Flare protested, running a hand down his chest. Natsu wanted to tell her to get her hands off him. No one was allowed to touch him like that except for Lucy.

He had nowhere to go, the man behind him giving him no room to step back further. Flare's touch sent unsettling chills throughout his body.

"And he can help you, Natsu. We can find Larcade together. That's what you want, isn't it, Natsu? To find Larcade?" She tilted her head to the side at disjointed angle, as though someone had someone had snapped her neck.

Natsu shook his head again. Every hair on his neck stood up, but he held his position.

"We have answers for you," Flare pressed her body against Natsu's, stumbling back slightly when Natsu forcibly pushed her away, "We can tell you about your memory gaps and your temporary losses of control."

Something about her eyes was pulling him in. The former chills replaced by a smouldering heat. Warmth seeped into his body as he looked at her…

Natsu's mouth dropped open, smacking himself across the face to keep from falling into her trap. She was _luring_ him. He figured she must have some sort of hypnotic ability...maybe seduction? Either way, he _had_ to get away from her.

"What loss of control?" he growled.

Flare giggled, her eyes darkening to pitch, but not losing any of their allure, "You know damned well you have both memory gaps _and_ losses of control. You can't pretend it hasn't happened. Deep down, you know who you truly are. Don't you want to know for sure, Natsu? Aren't you curious?"

Natsu shook his head, bumping into the man behind him, "No. I don't want to know. I'm not going anywhere with you."

"I think you _do_ want to know," Flare tilted her head as she came within centimeters of his face, sensing he was about to call out to his comrades, "If you yell for them, we'll kill them all.

You're fraternizing with the enemy, Natsu...the enemies of your people."

"My people?" he repeated.

She was mesmerizing, swaying back and forth hypnotically, slowly pulling him under her spell.

"Come with us, Natsu...come _home,"_ her voice was like honey, dripping slowly and seductively from her tongue.

"No," he repeated, trying to stiffen his resolve once again. His eyes flashed crimson as anger bubbled to the surface, "Stay away from us. If you hurt any one of them, I'll _end_ all of you."

She grinned with delight, stepping back a few steps, "There's our boy."

Natsu's eyes widened in surprise as the big man stepped around him, disappearing into the shadows with Flare and the other unidentified people.

"You won't get the right answers from the Angels," Flare told him just before disappearing, "They're trying to _protect_ you from yourself. They're wrong. You're magnificent and they are ignorant. They're giving you the runaround, Natsu. You'll see that for yourself. They can't be trusted."

Natsu let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as the beings disappeared. With their departure, his nausea disappeared too. He was panting heavily now, a little traumatized by the close encounter as he realized he'd just come face to face with the demons that were chasing Lark and Wendy.

Furthermore, he had stayed aware this time...he had felt whatever was inside him darken and try to claw to the surface when Flare had finally managed to anger him...and this time, there was no memory gasp. He couldn't deny her claims...there was more to himself than just his Angel side.

He shook his head, forcing himself back to reality. Reaching into his pocket, he used the keycard to open the door again as silently as possible, only breathing again once he was safely inside. He bolted the door, pressing his forehead to it afterward as he tried to regain his composure. Turning around, he started to reach for the button of his jeans. He needed to try to get some sleep. But as he turned, he found himself staring into the horrified eyes of his colleague and friend. The expression on Romeo's face was a cross between barely restrained fury and frozen terror.. He backed away from Natsu, retreating to the bed further in the room.

"Stay away from me," Romeo warned.

"R-Romeo," Natsu stuttered, "It's not what you think -"

"It's _exactly_ what I think!" Romeo yelled, backing further away.

Jellal roused, lifting his head from his pillow. Ezel continued snoring.

"What _are_ you?" Romeo whispered, his eyes wide with fear.

Natsu glanced at Jellal, unable to respond.

* * *

Lucy sat in her chair, staring at Lisanna. The Intelligence Team had moved on to looking over surveillance tape that had been taken around Magnolia during the day, trying to pinpoint anything suspicious. She couldn't concentrate, trying to determine if anything had changed in her long-time friend.

"Are you still tingling?" she asked softly.

Lisanna stopped mid-sentence, turning to Lucy's wide eyes with a kind smile, "Yes. I'm not sure what's happening…but I'm definitely still tingling."

Mira put down the remote control she was using to fast-forward through tapes, "Maybe we should test it now...see if your magic container has filled at all."

"I don't know what to do," Lisanna tilted her head, glancing lovingly at her older sister. She was still in a bit of disbelief that she was face to face with her. The only thing that could increase her nostalgia any further would be if Elfman could join them.

"Well, let's see," Mira came around the table, placing both hands on her sister's shoulders, "I suspect you're a Takeover Mage like Elfman and I...so try to change into something."

"What do you and big brother change into?" Lisanna asked, her eyes lit up.

Mira frowned, exchanging glances with Layla, "That's...not important. Try something simple. Something that makes you feel fierce"

Lisanna nodded, closing her eyes. She could feel the tingling increase as she focused her magical energy, just like Layla and Mira had taught her. When she opened her eyes, the entire group had frozen.

"What?" Lisanna asked.

"L-Lis…" Lucy stuttered. Her mouth dropped open in shock as she grasped for Aki's mirror, which happened to be left on the counter since the teenage girl couldn't be bothered to put it away.

She passed Lisanna the mirror, Lisanna reaching for it with soft, furry paws. Lisanna's eyes grew wider as she pulled the mirror up.

"Mavis," Lisanna whispered, "Did I just turn into a cat?"

* * *

Daisuke hit the 'Discharge' button for the last person on the ward. Well, the second to last...he hadn't had time to discharge himself. He backed out of the program to the desktop, watching the hall with wild eyes as he shut off the screen. The voices were getting louder.

He pushed the chair back into the desk, trying to move silently as he rounded the desk to head back to his room.

The hallway door flew open, several nurses spilling out, they froze when they locked eyes with him.

Daphne's face clouded with confusion, then rage, "Daisuke...What are you doing out here?"

Daisuke backed up two steps, glancing wildly for any staircases that could be kind enough to appear from thin air. He already knew all exits were blocked off.

"GET HIM!" Daphne roared angrily.

Daisuke dodged the first nurse, leaping to the top of the desk. He kicked the contents off at the nurses pursuing him, frantically scrambling to gain some ground. The computer monitor that he'd just messed with crashed to the ground, shattering. Barely affording himself the thought, at least they wouldn't discover what he'd been up to.

There was nowhere to run...and a dozen nurses to run from. Daisuke fought valiantly, kicking and punching the assaulting nurses as they bore down on him. It didn't take him long to see their appearances change, gnarled teeth and glowing red eyes that revealed them to be more like carnivorous animals than mild-mannered nurses. It was a big, burly woman that finally slammed him to the ground, holding him down with a weighted knee. He felt something sharp stick into his neck, then the world began to spin.

His last thoughts before the darkness claimed him were of Aki and their moment days ago.

He would have liked to have kissed her again...

* * *

 _ **A/N: I was so tired last night when I posted, I totally forgot to make an author's note! We are getting REALLY CLOSE to 70 Faves and 100 followers. And those reviews - keep 'em coming. If we can achieve the 70 faves and 100 followers, I'll do a special date chapter between Lark and Wendy. Review the hell outta this chapter and we'll start previews again. :D**_

 _ **Thank you again to my ever-loving beta, Wordsaremyspells1331. So much fun to work with you! I love how we work together...our ideas just gel.**_

 _ **Also a shout-out to MorriganFae, who ran through the chapter for me too!**_

 _ **Did you see the new profile pic? Wordsaremyspells made me a crochet Lark for my birthday! Isn't he great?**_

 _ **Muah! Seeya next time**_

 ** _~Shana~_**


	37. Chapter 37

**_A/N: Sorry it's been so long! Between work being crazy, getting ready for my daughter's skipping Provincials, etc, this is coming a lot later than I thought it would. I will be trying to step up the schedule a bit. My plan is to have this story done in the summertime. :(_**

* * *

 _"Stay away from me," Romeo warned._

 _"R-Romeo," Natsu stuttered, "It's not what you think -"_

 _"It's exactly what I think!" Romeo yelled, backing further away._

 _Jellal roused, lifting his head from his pillow. Ezel continued snoring._

 _"What ARE you?" Romeo whispered, his eyes wide with fear._

 _Natsu glanced at Jellal, unable to respond._

" _What in the hell are you!?" Romeo screamed, "And why are you giving information to the demons?"_

 _Natsu took a step forward, "You KNOW I'm not doing that, Romeo...they lured me out! I didn't tell them anything!"_

" _THEN YOU MADE A DEAL WITH THEM!" Romeo roared._

 _Jellal was sitting straight up now, Ezel still sawing logs obliviously. There was a rap at the door, undoubtedly their other humans from the next room considering how Juvia, Sorano and Gray appeared in the room, all in battle stances._

" _I DIDN'T MAKE A DEAL WITH THEM!" Natsu cried out defensively, glancing briefly at the new arrivals, "They approached ME! They wanted me to go HOME with them or something!"_

" _And what does that mean?" Jellal interjected, "Where do they think your 'home' is?"_

" _You know what that means, Jellal," Romeo snarled, "He's a demon. They're implying their home is also his home."_

 _The entire room fell silent, save for the laboured breathing of the adrenaline-enraged humans._

" _I'm NOT a demon!" Natsu protested, "Romeo, you've been my friend and partner since you joined the force! You KNOW me! You KNOW my values!"_

" _I really don't think I do, Natsu. What I know is that you were talking to demons. Do you already know where your son is? Are you leading us on some wild goose chase? Are you setting us up?" Romeo demanded._

" _Romeo…" Natsu tried to take another step forward._

" _Stay away from me, you freak."_

 _Romeo backed up against the wall, shaking his head in alarm as Natsu slowly withdrew his extended arm. Jellal got off the bed, standing between the two men._

" _Natsu...maybe you should trade rooms with Gray," he suggested, "We can sort this out in the morning."_

" _What's to sort out?" Romeo bellowed, "He's talking to the enemy! He's a traitor!"_

" _We don't know that!" Jellal shouted, "Romeo - he'll be moved to another room - go back to bed!"_

" _No way," Romeo shook his head adamantly, "We're not safe, Jellal. You need to banish him. Send him back to Magnolia. Get him off the team."_

 _The whole room froze, Natsu's jaw dropping open._

" _Romeo…" Natsu tried again._

 _Gray's face was a vicious shade of red as he took a step toward Romeo, "Don't be a little shit, Conbolt! Do you even hear yourself right now? You're talking about the man who's more of a father to you than your own blood! Who the hell do you think you are?!"_

" _I saw it with my own eyes!" Romeo hissed at Gray, "He was talking to them - like they're all old buddies. I'm telling you - Natsu is one of them!"_

" _No way!" Gray yelled at the same time, "Natsu is the same Natsu he's always been - there's no way he's consorting with demons!"_

 _Sorano opened the door, letting Virgo, Cana, and Bacchus through. Ezel continued to sleep, making Juvia shake her head. The way everyone was yelling, it was truly a wonder._

" _You stay out of this, you half-naked bastard!" Romeo roared, "Everyone knows you're Natsu's biggest supporter. Have you ever stopped to consider_ _what_ _you're supporting? He's at least half-demon! He's-"_

 _Gray bit his lower lip, "Watch your mouth, Conbolt...this man has saved your life so many -"_

" _Gray!" Jellal bellowed, "Stand down! Natsu, go to the other room and go to bed! We'll figure this out in the morning!"_

 _Natsu's face was contorted with disbelief, "He's serious? He thinks that I…"_

" _GO!" Jellal ordered._

 _Natsu's face fell, his shoulders slumped. He lifted his gaze, shaking his head as he turned and headed for the door._

 _Gray's eyes still burned with anger as he stared down Romeo._

" _You go back to the other room too, Gray," Jellal ordered, "You're still a little too hot to stay here tonight."_

 _Gray scowled, but he obeyed anyway, if not for any other reason, to keep an eye on Natsu. If the demons came for him again, they would not get past him._

* * *

Jellal sat alone on the top of the motel roof, replaying last night's scene in his head. His hand shielded his eyes from the bright morning sun. Romeo's outburst last night had woken half the motel...or at least the rooms where the Angels and humans of the Find Larcade Task Team were trying to sleep.

Now that sleep had eluded him, Jellal watched over the hotel for any signs of demons. He was rather appalled at himself that the demons had reached the motel undetected, let alone been able to lure Natsu outside without the Angels cluing in.

Today would be a shit show of trying to calm the team back down to rational levels.

He heard a door open to one of the hotel rooms, transporting down to the ground immediately. His face lit up with surprise as he realized he was face-to-face with both Natsu and Gray.

"What are you two doing up so early?" Jellal greeted.

"Couldn't sleep," Natsu replied, "It will be another hour or more before everyone else is up...so I thought I'd go for a run."

"And I'll be damned if he's going anywhere alone," Gray growled, "Those bastards won't get near him twice."

Jellal nodded in agreement.

"Will you settle for walking instead, Natsu?" Jellal asked, gesturing toward the road, "I'll go with you. I'm sure you need to talk...we're both great listeners."

Natsu studied the other man's face. Jellal and Gray were at an advantage. They'd known Natsu for the majority of his life...but Natsu didn't know them. Flare's warning darted through his mind.

' _You're fraternizing with the enemies, Natsu...the enemies of your people.'_

Natsu nodded slowly, following both Angels out to the sidewalk. They walked for a few minutes in companionable silence, all lost in their own thoughts.

"What happened last night?" Jellal broke the silence finally, "How did they get you to go outside?"

Natsu took a deep breath, deciding that he really did need to talk. He had nothing to lose by confiding in Jellal and Gray. If anything, maybe they could shed some light on who Natsu really was. He'd gathered over the past several days that Jellal was a senior Angel - respected by his teammates. Gray was tenacious in his duties and had great respect for the blue-haired Angel. While he didn't know the black-haired Angel with the stripping habit well, something inside him trusted Gray...and Natsu considered himself a pretty good judge of character. Both Jellal and Gray had always appeared to be friends. Natsu had no reason to believe otherwise.

"They called me from my sleep," Natsu replied, "I was only half-asleep anyway. I'm worried about Lark and I miss Lucy and our children. Before I knew it, I was surrounded."

"What did they tell you?" Gray asked.

"They want to take me _home_ , whatever that means," Natsu frowned as they began to walk, "They said I'm one of them. But I don't know how that can be true if I'm an Angel."

Jellal nodded, but didn't speak. Natsu needed a chance to say his feelings out loud before the shit show that was sure to happen once the others woke up. Romeo had tossed and turned a lot before finally dropping off to sleep. He was pretty sure nobody but Ezel had gotten a proper sleep.

"Do _you_ know what I am?" Natsu asked Jellal, his voice quiet, "What did they mean by I'm 'one of them'?"

"You're Natsu," Gray scoffed, "You are _not_ one of them...you _know_ who you are."

"Except I don't," Natsu stated forlornly, "Not like I thought I did. There's this whole different angle to my existence that I know nothing about. I have no memories of being an Angel, so couldn't it be possible I have demonic ties as well?"

"It doesn't matter who you _were_ ," Gray pointed out, "You know who you are _now_."

Jellal sat down beside Natsu, relaxing slightly. There were no demons around. The Aura of the surrounding area was clean.

"I don't know much," Jellal admitted, "I've spent the majority of my Angel existence in Crime Sorciere. I would hear rumors of the _Angel of Oops_...how he messed up an ecosystem or caused a lake to boil dry or whatever the case may be. Honestly, I didn't follow your story until Crime Sorciere was called in to monitor your case."

"My case," Natsu repeated.

"You were the Cupid who fell in love with his human assignment," Jellal confirmed, "Crime Sorciere was sent to determine how serious the situation was."

"So that doesn't answer my question," Natsu sighed, "I still don't know who I am."

"I have no idea about your roots…" Jellal sighed, "but I can tell you what I know about your Angel life before you became human...and every day since then. You haven't changed. As an Angel, you never had a knack for anything. You messed up regularly, but your heart was pure and your intentions were always good. Once you met Lucy as an Angel, though, your purpose in existing became very clear to you. Even now as a human, your wife and children are everything to you. You're a natural leader and you not only convinced us that your love for Lucy was pure, but you convinced all of Heaven, resulting in a second chance at life on Earthland. You are a good man, Natsu...both as an Angel and as a human. Don't let anyone plant anything in your head that says otherwise."

Gray nodded when Natsu looked at him for affirmation, "He nailed it, Natsu. Don't listen to a word they said. Demons are masters of manipulation. They'll say anything to get you questioning the truth. The bottom line is, nothing means more to you than your family. Your true home is in Magnolia with them and our focus now is Lark. I don't know why demons would lure you elsewhere, but it's a facade. You know deep down where you belong."

Natsu contemplated both men's words quietly for a moment, remembering how Romeo had been quick to tell Gray to back off as Natsu's greatest supporter. A part of him was really thankful for such a loyal friend. The other part worried that he was simply playing the part.

"She said I have a brother."

"I can't tell you that you don't," Jellal acknowledged, "But any brother associated with demons sounds like trouble to me. I agree with Gray. You know where your heart is, Natsu...or you wouldn't be trying to turn over every stone from here to Bosco trying to find your boy. We can look for information on your origins after he and Wendy are safe."

"What do I do about Romeo?" Natsu huffed dejectedly, "He's now convinced I'm a traitorous monster."

"I've been thinking about that," Jellal turned to Natsu, "Maybe it's time to split the search team. You and Romeo should take a break from each other...go with opposite teams."

Natsu nodded slowly, "Maybe it's for the best. I really want to find Lark and go home. You're right about my priorities. I miss Lucy...I miss my kids. We're all on edge and I guess if I caught Romeo talking to demons in the middle of the night, I'd be wondering about him too."

"Have we searched Onibus enough?" Gray asked, "We know Lark and Wendy aren't here now, but do we know where they're going?"

Jellal placed his hand on Natsu's back, pouring some comfort through his friend, "I'm hoping splitting up will help us cover more ground."

Gray glanced at Natsu, trying to read his face. Natsu looked dejected and tired...like Romeo's outburst the night before had turned the whole world against him. Whether Romeo was still a rookie cop or not, his opinion meant a lot to Natsu.

Natsu nodded again, getting up from the table, "Can I have a few minutes alone, if you don't mind? I really need to call Lucy."

"No problem," Jellal assured him.

Jellal waited until Natsu was out of sight before gesturing to Gray to flit into the _shadows_ to follow him. He still couldn't detect any demon presence, but he wasn't about to take chances. If the demons had tried for Natsu once, they would try again. Jellal needed to get them off the Team's trail before something else happened, but for now, he would protect Natsu and give him time on the telephone with his family.

"We're going to separate the teams?" Minerva asked, appearing beside him.

"I didn't lie," Jellal droned, recognizing the scrutinizing tone in her voice, "We _will_ cover more ground if we split the team. We need to separate Romeo and Natsu anyway to avoid further confrontation between them."

"If the demons came after Natsu once, they'll do it again," Minerva reminded him, echoing his own thoughts, "We need to tell the others what we know. They need to know the demons have been following us and they need to know what direction Lark and Wendy have gone. We can't protect the rest of the team if the demons follow them. The other Angels need to know it's a possibility."

Jellal sighed heavily, nodding finally, "Okay, Minerva. I know you're right. We'll level with the group."

Minerva grinned, "And the Intelligence Team?"

Jellal glanced at her, smirking slightly, "Baby steps."

* * *

Lark stirred, tightening his grip around Wendy's waist as his eyes fluttered open. She was still asleep, her chest pressed against his, her right leg thrown overtop of his hips, the left intertwined with his. She still wore his t-shirt - the one he'd insisted she wear to cover up after her towel fell off during last night's make-out session. Lark realized being semi-dressed did little to quell his appetite for her...she was sexy as hell...even more so while wearing his t-shirt.

He leaned back into the pillow contentedly. Lark had plenty of experience when it came to kissing, but he'd found throughout the course of the evening that Wendy had taught him probably more than he'd taught her. She was attentive in her kisses, like she was drawing his soul into her. Lark had made sure not to touch her body any more than wrapping his arms around her back... but hadn't stopped Wendy from touching him as she pleased.

She was curious about his body, running her hands over muscles, massaging him as though he was delicate, pausing between her attentions to come back up to his lips for more heated kisses. She had explored his entire chest with her mouth, moving up to his neck, but always back to his lips. It had taken all Lark's willpower to keep her from exploring below the beltline, but thankfully, he'd only had to warn her off of it twice. His body ached for her. He wanted her like no other...but he wouldn't risk moving too fast for her. If it was going to happen, he wanted it to mean something for both of them.

Wendy wasn't there yet. Even if her enthusiasm begged otherwise.

She was so pretty. Even with her hair completely knotty, his t-shirt far too big for her...Wendy was beautiful. Lark knew without a doubt that his attraction for her went far beyond physical. She was sweet...and dedicated...and very loyal. He'd known for awhile now, but last night had confirmed it for him...Lark was falling in love with her.

Wendy stirred, adjusting further into his arms. He stroked her arm gently, kissing ever so lightly.

"Five more minutes," she murmured into his chest.

"Five more minutes?" Lark teased, "You've already slept most of the morning away."

She pulled back, groggily opening her eyes, "What time is it?"

"Close to noon," Lark told her, pulling her back into his chest, "We're supposed to try phone calls again today and you said we need to work on my Angel _abilities_...but 5 more minutes is not going to hurt."

" _Somebody_ kept me up last night," she muttered, her voice muffled by his chest, "I'm so tired."

" _Somebody_ did no such thing!" Lark argued, playfully tickling her sides. She screeched, rolling to get out of his grasp. Lark threw his arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. She relaxed into his arms, tilting her head when he kissed her neck gently, " _Somebody else_ was more of an explorer than Dora! Who knew Wendy the Angel could be so...seductive?"

"Dora?" Wendy asked, one eyebrow raised. She tried to turn in his arms so that she could face him, but Lark held her where she was.

"You don't want to know," Lark dismissed the comment, "I have a lot of younger siblings. Trust me...you're not missing anything. The POINT is, _I'm_ not the one who kept _you_ up."

"I wasn't seductive," Wendy pouted, squirming out of his arms, "You started it."

Lark's mouth dropped open, even as his arms reached to draw her back against him, "Did not! You kissed me!"

"Because you kissed me a few days ago!" Wendy insisted, pushing his arms away.

She writhed a little harder, trying to free her legs from where they were intertwined with his. Lark resorted to tickling again, causing her to break out into giggles when she finally broke free...until he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her back beside him once more. He locked his leg over her waist so that she couldn't escape again.

"You were being mule-headed!" Lark claimed, kissing the back of her neck.

Wendy closed her eyes, feeling tingles flow through her body. She liked kissing Lark, but she couldn't get over how his lips on her neck made her body respond. She had enjoyed the free range he'd given her over his upper body last night, but there was a part of her that really wished he'd explored her a little bit more too.

" _Y-you_ were being a pervert!" she spat finally, remembering that they were still arguing.

Lark nudged her until she rolled onto her back, caging her with strong arms, "Well, I don't have any regrets. Now...do you want to spend the day bickering...or do you want to use our last 5 minute allowance doing something that we'll both blush over for the rest of the day?"

Wendy blushed, her eyes closing as he kissed her passionately. Their fingers interlocked, Lark slowly lifting them upward to either side of her head.

"Let's make phone calls tomorrow," she whispered as he peppered kisses across her face, "Let's stay here today."

Lark groaned, the jolt of arousal provoked by her words making it really, really hard for him to pull away. He sat up on the edge of the bed, using the sheet to cover the tent in his shorts.

"We can't do that, Wendy."

"Why not?" she asked innocently, sitting up behind him, "It's not like we have an appointed time to make our calls. Nobody would know if we took a day to ourselves."

"You're right that nobody would know," Lark agreed, "But you're the one saying we need to get my _abilities_ working effectively. If the demons find us before Crime Sorciere does, you can't defend us alone. I also need to know my friends and family are okay. As much as I would _love_ to spoil us with a day in, we _can't_ stay in bed today. We have work to do."

Lark's eyes diverted from Wendy and her borrowed t-shirt as he gulped. One slender shoulder was exposed, long creamy legs extending over the mattress. He kept his eyes averted, reaching for his bath towel.

"Get dressed, Wendy. We need to get moving."

Wendy snickered as she realized just how red his face was - and how high his voice had risen. She burst out laughing, falling onto her back again on the bed.

"What?" Lark demanded when her laughter didn't subside.

She propped herself up on one elbow, still laughing, "I'm trying to decide who you're trying to convince...me or yourself. You are so bad at being the adult. You totally want to spend the day here with me instead of taking care of business."

Lark's mouth dropped open, completely unsure of how to respond to that.

It shocked him how much Wendy had changed since he'd kissed her all those days ago. She'd gone from strictly business to playful and seductive overnight. While he wasn't complaining, he realized all these emotions were far too new for her. There was no telling how real they were on her part. From what he could tell, she'd had very little experience with receiving attention from anyone, let alone someone who wanted her as more than a friend.

"You're right... let's take the day off," Lark relented. He had to hold her back with one arm when she lunged for him. He felt his pants tighten again, reaffirming the absolute necessity of his next words, "But let's get out of here. Let's go on a date today."

Wendy froze - her attempt to lunge at him again to lure him into another make out session temporarily suspended in mid-air.

"A date?" Wendy asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

Lark nodded, noting the light in her eyes.

"Let's go have some fun," Lark suggested. He paused, deciding if there was any potential for something real between them, he had to be honest, "I want more from you than a physical connection. I want to connect with you on an emotional level."

"First we have to check out the town," Wendy relented, "We need to make sure there haven't been any new arrivals since yesterday. It would be a bad idea to let our guard down."

"So we'll do that...and then we'll have some fun," Lark pouted, eyes wide and innocent, hoping to convince her.

She paused, trying to decode the new emotions running through her. She knew duty came first, but the prospect of a simple, casual day with Lark also appealed to her. He was bringing out a side of her she'd never explored...and she liked it, "I've never been on date before."

He leaned forward, brushing his lips against her cheek, "Get dressed then. I'll shower...and then we'll go."

Wendy watched him gather his clothes, then disappear into the bathroom.

"A date," she whispered, her fingertips brushing the cheek he'd kissed.

Wendy had no idea how to go on a date. It wasn't something she'd been old enough to experience when she was alive. But still, the way that her heart was fluttering, she knew she was excited...and duty was all but forgotten.

* * *

"They're not going to listen to us," Mieske sighed with frustration, slumping against a box.

Team Exceed was back in their attic meeting room first thing in the morning after being booted from the lower level of the house for eavesdropping.

"I'm starting to think we were only assigned to a team to keep us out of the way," Connor muttered.

He glanced at his siblings and the other kids, seeing the 'well duh' expressions on their faces.

"Oh."

"They will listen to you," Carla assured them, "The adults just have...pressing matters to attend to first."

Aimi shook her head, "Are you sure about that? Because what happened downstairs was a dismissal, Carla. We didn't even get to finish stating our idea. Plus, I thought Dan's location _is_ a priority."

"They acknowledged the clearing was a solid lead," Pantherlily countered, "And they will check it out as soon as they have the manpower."

"Angels would be able to check it out right away if they wanted to," Aki argued, "They aren't taking us seriously."

"Who's not taking you seriously?" a voice asked.

Aki broke out into a grin, "Master!"

"I will never get used to that," Sora shook her head, "Angels appearing out of nowhere...the fact that _my parents_ can do that. It's honestly a miracle I ever got away with anything."

The rest of the group snickered, all eyes turning to Makarov, who had climbed on top of a large box so that they could all see him.

"You didn't, really. But who cares about that? Tell me what you've been up to, my children," Makarov beckoned.

Brielle had Frosch in her arms again, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the new arrival, "We can do better than that. We can tell you the gossip from the other teams we heard this morning downstairs."

"Gossip!" Makarov exclaimed, greatly amused by the young girl and her big terminology, "Do tell."

"We only heard some things," Haru told him, "We were sent upstairs before we could confirm what was going on with the Intelligence Team."

"But there's a big secret there!" Aimi added, "The Intelligence Team has been holed up in our parents' room...presumably because it's the only lockable room in the house."

"Just start with what you've heard then," Makarov encouraged them, humming to himself.

"They haven't found Lark yet," Aki said softly, "Dad called Mom last night and there are signs that they've been in Onibus, but they're not there anymore."

"It's weird to not see Daddy," Brielle complained, "It's always better when he's home."

"He'll be back soon," Connor assured her, patting her arm, "Everyone knows he doesn't do well away from Mom."

"What else?" Makarov interrupted, hoping to take the sad light out of the little girl's eyes and divert her attention to the new task at hand.

"Team Find Dan got a call this morning from the police station," Toby reported, "The hardware store on Strawberry Street has surveillance tape of a suspicious-looking character who was in the store yesterday. They're going to check it out."

"But they still haven't found anyone to follow up our lead on checking out the clearing," Yuka continued, "They said they'll send out patrols when they have the manpower."

"More importantly," Sora added, "We think something is up at the hospital. When we talked to Daisuke yesterday, he told us something was wrong."

Makarov tapped his fingers on his chin, "How so?"

"He used the code phrase," Ren told him, "The one we use in front of our parents when we can't speak freely."

Makarov raised an eyebrow, "Tell me more."

* * *

Gajeel cracked his knuckles, scowling at the empty hardware store, "He's been here."

"Dan?" Rogue asked.

Laxus shook his head, his nose wrinkled, "No. It's that freak that Mavis, Jellal and I interrogated after Daisuke went missing. Gajeel was right. We've smelled his scent before. I can't believe I didn't figure it out when we were in that alley outside Fairy Tail."

"So what does that mean?" Rogue demanded, looking from Angel to Angel.

"It means," Erza said slowly, "That Dan has found at least one new comrade...someone who was involved in Daisuke's kidnapping."

"Yukino has Bob and Ichiya tailing him," Sting interjected, "She had a feeling Jiggle was holding back information."

"I don't smell them here," Laxus murmured, his nose twitching, "It's possible that those other scents just happened to be in the alley when Dan broke out of Fairy Tail."

"Except that the scents were all moving the same direction," Gajeel reminded him, "I think they were definitely working together. If we find Jiggle, Bob, and Ichiya, I'll put money down that we'll find Dan too."

Sting pulled out his cell phone, pacing the hardware store aisle as he waited for his call to go through.

"Yuki - it's me," he said when the call picked up, "Have you heard from either Bob or Ichiya?"

He wandered down the aisle, listening for her answer.

"We don't have proof that Jiggle is involved with Dan," Erik pointed out, "Other than the fact that Gajeel and Laxus smelled him near the Fairy Tail alley the day it was blown to smithereens. Lots of people pass through there."

"It's still the only lead we've got," Loke sighed.

"This is the list of items the man bought," Erza stated, putting the list down on a small table, "Rope...a tarp...duct tape...rags…"

Rogue glanced from face to face, "Sounds suspicious enough to me. I'll get Evergreen to inform the businesses with surveillance cameras to watch out for him. Ichiya and Bob, too."

"Short of asking to search every house in Magnolia, I'm not sure what else we can do to find him," Laxus tapped his fingers on the table, "Maybe Gajeel and I should walk around a bit more...see if we can pick up a fresh scent."

"There is another lead we _could_ check out," Loke put in, "Aries says the kids were thinking someone should go check out the clearing from Lucy's past. He might have gone somewhere familiar."

Gajeel cocked his head, nodding slowly, "I think they're right. Let's plan on doing that after we get through the rest of these tapes."

* * *

Natsu tried not to let it bother him when Romeo went to Cana's vehicle without saying a word to him. He had hoped they could talk it out but Romeo wouldn't even look at him. It was starting to burn at him. He felt like calling Romeo out. He had no basis for his accusations. A man who doesn't normally lose his temper would look even more suspicious. Maybe Jellal was right...maybe some space was just what Romeo needed. Getting mad wouldn't help anything. Least of all their search.

Jellal had suggested separating into groups a few minutes ago, one group continuing through Onibus to Kunugi, the other heading northeast to the mountains. This way, they would cover more ground and hopefully make some quick progress. Jellal revealed that demons had been following the group ever since they'd arrived in Onibus, which Natsu had already suspected.

Splitting the group was risky and there was no telling if the demons would separate their group as well, or if they'd decide which Angel team to follow and use their numbers to their advantage. The plan was to cover ground quickly and avoid another demonic confrontation at all costs. If either group found Lark and Wendy, they needed to signal the other group before engaging.

The other Angels and humans had agreed readily to the plan, nobody bringing up the confrontation of the night before. But Romeo hadn't forgotten. He stared at Natsu throughout the whole briefing meeting, scrutinizing his very existence.

Natsu sighed in defeat and tried to focus instead on the boost of confidence Lucy had given him during their early morning call.

"The team that finds Lark and Wendy gets one week of total servitude from the other team!" Cana declared, "Care to take the bet, wussies?"

"Oh, you're ON!" Virgo yelled back from beside Natsu's car, "Prepare to be punished!"

"Way to keep the low profile!" Midnight muttered, getting into the back of Cana's car.

"I call shotgun!" Gray bellowed, beelining for Natsu's front seat.

"Dearest! Your clothes!" Juvia called out behind him, hurrying after him, "And wouldn't you rather sit in the middle row? That way we can sit together!"

Bacchus emerged from the hotel room, tucking a bottle of wine beneath his coat after showing it to Cana, who grinned deviously, "Hey Lyon...you know how to drive right? You won't mind if Bacchus and I hide in the back seat?"

Lyon's mouth dropped open, "I'm an _Angel_. It'll look pretty suspicious if there's no one in the driver's seat."

Cana's face fell, then lit up again as her gaze switched to Romeo.

"Can we switch cars?" Ezel groaned, "I really don't want to be stuck with these idiots for the next few days."

Jellal paused, scanning the area for demon presence again. Midnight was right. Normally they would be much more careful about their antics in public. He could feel the demon presence. They weren't very close, but they were definitely watching. He hoped they would split their team and send half after each vehicle.

He got into the back of Cana's SUV. Already, Bacchus and Cana were opening the wine bottle, the cap popping outside the window. Romeo took the driver's seat, Lyon by his side.

Natsu tried to suppress his anger, glancing to the other car to meet Romeo's eyes. He offered a wave and smile. Romeo scowled, then turned his gaze to the other window. Natsu's shoulders slumped, rejected. He wasn't sure how he was going to get through to Romeo that he was no traitor if Romeo had no intentions of accepting his olive branch. Forget 'accepting' it. Romeo wasn't even _acknowledging_ the olive branch.

With the rest of the team in Natsu's van, they waved goodbye to each other and pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

Wendy walked side-by-side with Lark toward the boardwalk. Her cheeks were rosy as she 'accidentally' brushed her arm against his. It was the fourth time in the past 5 minutes, and judging by the smirk on Lark's face, he was on to her little game.

"You could just ask me to hold your hand," he teased, extending his arm.

Wendy blushed, taking a step backward.

He smiled, slowing his pace long enough to pick a red rose from the bush they were passing. He plucked the thorns from it, then tucked the stem behind her ear.

"It's not as pretty as you are," he murmured, leaning in to peck her cheek lightly. He let his lips linger for a long moment before finally pulling away.

He smoothed the back of his hand down the side of her face. Both blushed as their eyes locked, memories of last night flashing through their minds. Lark reached for her hand, their eye contact finally breaking as their fingers intertwined and they resumed their path toward town.

"So...what are we going to do on our 'date'?" Wendy asked nervously.

Lark squeezed her fingers, "We can't go visible...so we're limited. We can't do anything that will call attention to ourselves. Maybe take in a movie?"

"A movie," Wendy repeated, "I don't think I've seen a movie before."

"Ever?" Lark queried.

Wendy shook her head.

"It's on our list, then," Lark decided, "What else haven't you done? We'll do whatever you want."

Wendy cocked her head sheepishly, "Anything?"

"Anything," he agreed. He took both her hands in his so that he could pull her into his embrace.

"Lark...what if we did?"

"Did what?" Lark asked, confused.

Wendy remained quiet for a long moment, her eyes conflicted.

"Wendy?"

"What if we _unconcealed_? Just this once?"

Lark's mouth dropped open.

"I want to be human...and I want _you_ to be human," Wendy whispered, their eyes locking again. Lark's eyes widened, his mouth opening to protest, "Just for one day, Lark. I don't want to hide. I don't want to stick to the _shadows_ and hope that no one detects us. I want to be with you as a regular teenage girl."

"Wendy...do you know what you're saying? You know we can't unconceal..."

She nodded, her face falling with disappointment, "I know. Forget it. It was just a thought. It's just that...anything done on a real date...we can't do it. Even going to a movie...unless we can get popcorn and laugh at all the right parts...we're just watching a movie. We can't go bowling...we can't get commemorative pics at a photo booth...we can't even rent a bike or something. Just once...it would be so special…"

"Where have you been getting your information on dating?" Lark asked softly, pulling her against his chest.

"Magazines," Wendy mumbled, "I haven't actually been on a date...but that doesn't mean I haven't thought about what I'd do if I had the opportunity."

Lark's arms wrapped around her back. He kissed the top of her forehead, wishing he could grant the one wish she'd ever expressed to him. It was true they hadn't seen any demons or Angels in days. The likelihood of a sudden appearance was low. But could they risk it?

* * *

Dr. Porlyusica answered the knocking door with a curt, "Come in!", setting her paperwork aside to greet her guest.

Her normally frowning mouth flattening out as she recognized him...an old man possibly half her height. They had met many times over her 50 year career. The first time when she had been a young doctor. Now, she looked as old as he did. Strangely, even though he looked to be in his eighties, he never seemed to age.

"Makarov...it is good to see you."

Makarov patted her hand before taking the seat across from her, "And you as well, Porly. I trust you are well?"

She snickered, "I hate people. I have no idea why I've stayed a doctor this long. Ungrateful mongrels, the lot of them!"

He chuckled, "Yes. I can see how much you hate them by the quality of your dedicated care."

"Still, I'm concerned," Porlyusica sighed, turning her screen toward him, "And I felt it necessary to contact you, so it's interesting that you contacted me first. I cannot get in touch with any of the doctors on the 4th floor . It seems the entire ward is cordoned off and only select nurses have access to the floor."

"Interesting," Makarov agreed, thumbing his chin, "That's where the wounded from the police department are being held, yes?"

She nodded, "You said to keep my eyes open for anything unusual."

She frowned, opening a blinking message, then hummed out loud.

"It seems the entire ward is set for discharge this morning," she murmured, "The front desk has contacted their relatives and everyone will be gone within the hour."

Makarov sighed with relief, "That's good news. I was starting to think something was horribly amiss."

"It might be," Dr. Porlyusica furrowed her brows, tapping at the keyboard through squinted eyes, "The orders for the discharges are being reversed as we speak."

"Can you override it?" Makarov asked.

Dr. Porlyusica typed in a password, then began countering the orders of whomever was on the other side of the computer, "I should be able to. Doctor's orders should overrule nursing orders. I'll dispatch the orderlies to take the dischargees to the lobby as their rides get here.

Makarov watched as the doctor typed furiously, her frown deepening.

Porlyusica scowled, "Somebody doesn't like that I'm trying to override their orders."

"What do you mean?" Makarov asked with a frown.

Porlyusica stared at the screen in front of her, disbelief in her eyes as the screen went black, "I've been booted from the program. Somebody doesn't want these people to leave the hospital."

"So what then…" Makarov leaned forward, "Does that mean the orders are cancelled?"

Dr. Porlyusica picked up her phone, contacting the front desk, "Darla...can you tell me who's in charge on the 4th floor please?"

She listened, connecting her concerned expression with Makarov's solemn eyes.

"I see. There is going to be a mass discharge today. You might want to call the computer tech. Obviously the program is errored. It needs to be fixed promptly. Thank you, Darla."

Makarov waited for her to hang up the phone, "And?"

Dr. Porlyusica hummed to herself, "It seems there is no doctor in charge of the 4th floor. Darla says there have been multiple doctor orders to discharge the police over the past several days and each one gets overridden. In addition, the number of sedation pills sent to that floor is astronomical. I don't see a choice...I'm going to have to oversee the discharges myself. Something strange is definitely going on up there."

"Do me a favour," Makarov requested, leaning forward in his seat, "Stay out of it other than cancelling all orders for sedatives. Let me take my team up. We'll make sure every person on that floor is released."

"This is one of those things that I shouldn't ask questions about, isn't it?" Porly asked, a half-smile on her face. She and Makarov had never spoken directly about Makarov's origins, nor what he actually did at their visits. She only knew that when he appeared, there was a reason and something miraculous usually happened afterward.

Makarov nodded curtly, then excused himself. He had some phone calls to make.

* * *

Sting crossed the street, catching up to the rest of the Find Dan Team, "Nobody at the precinct has heard from Ichiya or Bob since Yuki sent them after Pringle...or whatever his name is."

"Jiggle," Rogue supplied, "And lo and behold, Jiggle has been spotted on two more cameras around town. He is definitely gathering supplies."

"Where was he last seen?" Sting asked, glancing from face to face as he hurried to keep pace. Gajeel and Sting were leading the group. Both of them were huge and had long legs.

"Grocery store," Gajeel grunted.

"We have to go while the scent is strong," Laxus growled, "That son-of-a-bitch was there less than an hour ago. We should be able to catch his trail."

"Or at least I'll be able to see it," Erik added.

Loke exchanged glances with Sting, "Coming along for the ride?"

"You know it," Sting answered, "It's about time we get some real answers."

They rounded the corner to the grocery store, Laxus and Gajeel halting abruptly to sniff the air.

"Well?" Rogue demanded impatiently.

Gajeel's eyes narrowed as he took another step forward, "He's still here."

* * *

"We're getting close to Kunugi," Midnight stated, "Everyone needs to be alert. Remember the plan. First thing, we need to determine if we're being followed by that group of demons from Onibus."

"I can't believe Jellal didn't think we should be privy to that information until this morning," Ezel grunted, "Just like him. We're a team, but everyone else is on a need-to-know basis. Guess we needed to know."

"Jellal carries the safety of the team on his shoulders," Minerva argued, "We were observing the demons closely to see what their intentions were. If all of us were aware of the demons, the likelihood of confrontation would have escalated."

"She's got a point," Gray agreed, "I don't think Jellal was being malicious."

"There's no 'I' in team," Ezel grunted, "He's underestimating our abilities to work as a team."

" _He's_ got a point," Juvia sighed, "How can we protect each other if we don't know we're in danger?"

"Maybe we could have dealt events last night a little better," Virgo added softly.

The whole van went silent, all eyes diverting to the abnormally quiet Natsu.

"I'm not betraying the Angels," Natsu said flatly.

"We know," Juvia reassured him, patting his shoulder from the back seat.

"Romeo doesn't know," Sorano murmured.

"Romeo's an idiot!" Gray spat.

"What did they say to you, anyway?" Virgo asked, "Did they want to punish you?"

"You're such a masochist!" Sorano growled, "What is it with you and punishment?"

"Shut it, priss puss!" Gray yelled to the back of the van, "She's just asking a question!"

"Oh, you're one to talk, Frosty!" Sorano shouted.

"They wanted me to go with them," Natsu stated blandly, immediately shutting everyone up, "They said I can't trust you."

"And what do you think about what they said?" Minerva asked.

Natsu slowed the van down as they came into city limits, "I think if they want me to go with them, they'll need to take me by force."

Gray snickered, "Damn right they will."

* * *

Lark and Wendy walked the town, both deep in their thoughts. The town was still empty of demonic and Angelic presence. Even though they stayed silent, the wheels were turning in both heads. Lark's grasp on Wendy's hand got tighter as they walked.

"No Angels...no demons," Lark murmured, turning to glance at the sweet girl beside him.

"None at all," she replied. She noted her hands were trembling slightly. Was it anticipation? Was it nervousness? She didn't know. But Lark's hands over hers, despite being slightly sweaty, were reassuring and gave her the courage to ask for her request once more, "So…what do you think? Should we -?"

"It's dangerous," Lark interrupted, "We're begging to be discovered."

"And we really should get in touch with the Angels back home," Wendy added, "Maybe they're halfway here and have no idea how to find us."

"Tomorrow...tomorrow we'll start leaving clues only a relative of mine or a friend would understand," Lark vowed.

"We'll work on your _abilities_...double time," Wendy promised.

Both paused, exhilarated anticipation passing between them.

"So...are we doing this?" Lark whispered, "You and me...one _real_ human date?"

Wendy nodded, her heart pounding. The kiss that followed quelled any doubts she was having. Wendy wasn't sure she'd ever been more excited by anything in her existence.

* * *

Jellal's group had just arrived in the small town at the base of Mount Hakabe. Cana and Bacchus stretched, more than happy to be out of the vehicle.

Romeo frowned. Maybe it wasn't so much stretching as stumbling. They'd managed to flatten the entire wine bottle.

The ride had been nothing less than awkward. With Cana and Bacchus getting smashed in the back seat - and Lyon stuck between them, trying to keep from getting drunk-squished - Romeo and Jellal were relatively silent the entire trip. Lyon sincerely regretted switching seats with Jellal when they stopped at the last rest area.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Romeo told Jellal.

Jellal nodded, scanning the area on high alert.

Romeo looked over to Cana and Bacchus, supporting each other on the way to the convenience store - also conveniently stocked with more liquor. Lyon followed them, yelling about how responsible members of the team wouldn't drink themselves into oblivion by noon. Jellal remained in the front seat of the vehicle, his eyes closed in meditation.

Romeo crossed the parking lot as calmly as he could, fully aware that he was being watched from all sides. No. He was imagining things. Jellal's eyes were still closed. Bacchus, Cana and Lyon had disappeared into the store. The only ones watching him were _them_.

He walked into the bathroom, washing his hands after relieving himself. He felt the air grow cold, then the familiar fingertips of the red-headed seductress Flare. She pushed herself between the sink and Romeo, slithering her arms over his shoulders and pressing into him.

"Flare...where did you come from?" Romeo exclaimed, his body reacting instantly. His eyes grew heavy, his mind clouded and distorted.

"You did well," she purred, tracing his cheekbones, "They're all starting to doubt each other. "

Romeo tried to control the heat rising in his body as his arms encircled her back.

"It's not easy," he murmured, "The team is on edge."

"That's okay," she whispered, pausing to kiss his cheek lightly. She let out a satisfied sigh when he gripped her tightly, "We have plans for the team. They'll see what side they should be on soon enough. You amaze me...how calm you are."

Romeo ran a hand through bright red locks, Flare's head leaning into his hand, her dark eyes boring into his.

"You deserve a reward, Romeo...how long can you stay here without anyone getting suspicious?"

"Not long," he mumbled as her hand brushed the column of his throat, "I'm only supposed to be going to the bathroom."

"I'll find you and reward you later," Flare promised, her breath ghosting against his ear, "See if you can get away tonight. I'll find you."

Romeo swallowed hard, his skin flushing as she pressed her lips against his roughly, her body lithe against his, promising a reward he would not forget.

"Keep up the good work," Flare encouraged as he hitched her leg up to press himself closer. It was like her essence was drinking him in. Romeo could feel his senses dulling with every embrace.

Abruptly, she pulled away, leaving Romeo in a stupored daze.

"I wish you had more time. Oh well..."

Romeo's body tingled, his mind unable to focus. He wanted more of her. He needed her to touch him again. He needed to touch her. He reached for her, barely missing her hand. Flare spun out of his grasp, shooting him a seductive grin.

" _Later_ , Romeo," Flare promised, her words smooth, "I promised, remember? Oh...and to answer Jellal's question? I'm the only one here. The rest of our demons will finish what we started with Natsu Dragneel. Not to worry, Romeo...you're doing the right thing, pushing Dragneel away. Traitors _always_ get what's coming to them."

The last statement hit him hard, stunning him to silence. In a flash she was on him again, her lips tearing at his before dissolving into thin air.

Romeo turned on the faucet, hanging his head in the steam as it fogged the mirror. His emotions were everywhere as her presence faded, leaving him to think more clearly. While there was no doubt that Natsu was a demon of some kind, his reaction to the events of last night surprised Romeo. Natsu did not try to avoid the subject. He had flat out denied friendly interaction with the demons...and some of the Angels backed him up. If Natsu Dragneel was a demon, Natsu himself was unaware of it.

And then there was Romeo. He knew deep down that he was pitting Natsu against the rest of the group, trying to gain sympathy for lies that he was telling. His head hurt. He wasn't even sure he believed what Flare had been impressing to him...Natsu was a longtime friend and mentor. Yet, he couldn't fight Flare's words in her presence either. She absorbed his every thought when she was near. She could tell him to burn down the castle in Crocus and he'd do it. Surely someone that alluring wouldn't lead him astray.

 _Traitors always get what's coming to them._

Romeo hung his head, turning the water off. He had to get back to the others or they'd get suspicious. The statement was ironic. People who weren't traitors didn't have to worry about rousing suspicion. Natsu certainly didn't.

So who was the real traitor?

* * *

 ** _A/N: And there we have it!_**

 _ **Next chapter, let's take a break from the rest of the drama and see the unconcealed date between Lark and Wendy. They're so overdue! I'm excited about a little LarWen!**_

 _ **Hit me up with your comments! Comments keep an author going. What would you like to see happen on the LarWen date? We're heading toward another shift in the plot, and there won't be a ton of romance from here.**_

 _ **Big hugs to wordsaremyspells1331 for always taking the time out of her ridiculously busy schedule to make these chapters happen! Did you see the crochet Larcade doll she made for me for my birthday? I posted it as my profile pic...just because I'm so impressed! One of the things I love most about the Fairy Tail fandom is that we are literally all over the world. I've met some seriously incredible people here.**_

 _ **I'll be posting Gray soon hopefully!**_

 _ **~Shana~**_


	38. Chapter 38

_**A/N: I am sorry this is so long in coming. I struggled with this chapter because I had so much I wanted to put into it. My beta, Wordsaremyspells1331 really came through for me this chapter. The ending is all her.**_

 ** _Enjoy._**

* * *

"So you're not calling this off?" Wendy whispered, "You know we'll be detectable now...by both humans and...every other being."

Lark bit his lower lip, "I know it's stupid. But no. I'm not calling it off. I'm ready. "

"3-2-1," Lark and Wendy said together.

On '1', both _unconcealed._ They stared at each other, eyes wide, waiting for the other to change their mind.

"Last chance," Wendy murmured, scanning the area for malicious beings. They had scanned the area beforehand, but she was still nervous.

"You can call it off too," Lark reminded her.

She shook her head adamantly, "No. I want to do this."

"We'll stick to the plan. We'll disappear if we have to," Lark reiterated, despite the fact they'd been through 'the plan' three times before finally _unconcealing_.

"And we can leave town within minutes," Wendy agreed.

They'd planned their escape routes, citing 3 different ways out of the city if things went bad, as well as a meeting place outside the city limits in the event that they were separated. Wendy had insisted if something went wrong, Lark was to leave immediately and not look back. Wendy would be a decoy and make sure they weren't followed.

That done, neither Wendy nor Lark could detect any malicious presences...or any other presence for that matter. Tomorrow, they'd leave town, just to be safe.

He kissed her gently, then stepped back with a broad grin, "There's no point in being visible is we're not going to leave these bushes though. The whole point is to go out."

"Okay," she nodded, "On 3?"

He grinned, threading his fingers with hers, "Nope."

Wendy screeched as he yanked her from the bushes, then blushed madly when she realized two senior ladies were walking by.

"Shame on you!" one of the ladies scolded, "Get a damned room! What is _wrong_ with today's youth?"

Both Wendy and Lark were dumbfounded as the ladies huffed down the path, mumbling in low, aggravated tones.

"I-I...don't understand," Wendy stuttered, "Why did she yell at us?"

"They think we were...doing what we did last night in those bushes," Lark explained.

Wendy flushed, "Oh."

"Or more," Lark teased, loving how cute her blush was.

"M-more?" Her face deepened a few more shades of red as the full insinuation hit her like a ton of bricks, "Oh. They think we were -"

Lark ran a finger down the side of her face, reveling in the softness of the blue hair framing it, "That's what they think...yes."

Lark laughed out loud as her face went from red to completely white in seconds. Wendy was unaccustomed to being visible. She scanned the area nervously again. For a minute, Lark thought about backing out...she was so uncomfortable being exposed… but it seemed to mean so much to her that they could have this day together. It meant a lot to him too. She had been deprived of a normal youth. She'd never had the chance to be a teenager, going on her first date... any of the stuff they had planned.

He wrapped his fingers around her, smiling encouragingly, "Don't stress about it, Wendy. Tonight, you should relax a bit, okay? We'll go back to being worried Angels tomorrow. Let's go have some fun."

He surveyed the area, planning out potential things for him and Wendy to do. He didn't want to overwhelm her, but he wanted her to have a good time. This small speck of time was probably the only opportunity they would have to be normal teenagers together until this mess was resolved. He wanted it to be memorable.

"Hey, Wendy...can I have some cash please?" his eyes narrowed, a slow smile lighting up his face as she passed him a few bills, "I'll be right back, okay?"

Wendy opened her mouth to ask where he was going, but he silenced her with a finger to her mouth.

He leaned forward, pecking Wendy's cheek, then squeezed her hands lightly, "I'll be right back...I promise."

Lark backed away, stretching their entwined fingers to maintain contact as long as possible before finally letting go. He winked, then turned and bolted away.

Wendy stared after him for a moment, trying to understand the pull she felt toward him. Lark was unlike anyone she'd met before. The attraction that she knew she felt toward him was getting stronger. It shocked her how much she was looking forward to this date...not because it was her first real date...but because it was a date with Lark.

It had taken her awhile to see beneath the first impressions she'd had of him. Lark was not the womanizing trouble-maker the Angels thought he was at all. Underneath his exterior, Lark was sweet, funny, and morally ground. He was tender in the way he treated her, not something she was accustomed to. It felt...nice...to be considered so strongly. Even though she was supposed to be protecting him, she often felt he was protecting and guiding her. Jellal and Erik looked after her that way too...but this was _different_ somehow.

Wendy took the moment to check her appearance in a nearby car's side view mirror. She chuckled to herself, wondering when she'd started caring about her reflection so much. Still, with Lark taking more than a few minutes, she divided her hair into long pigtails, fastening them with baubles.

She stared into the mirror, wondering what she'd look like with a bit of eyeliner and lipstick she'd seen other girls her 'age' wearing. She shook it off. Angels had no need for vanity.

"Excuse me, miss," Lark's voice came from behind her, "Someone told me you need a ride?"

Wendy turned, laughing out loud when she spotted Lark beside her. He sat with a cocky grin, one elbow propped behind him, in a low-to-the-ground go-kart-like bicycle with four wheels and steering wheel. His feet rested on the pedals. He had spiked his hair, turning the collar of his dress shirt up, and he'd attained a pair of sunglasses somewhere.

"Where did you get that?" Wendy giggled. She couldn't help admiring how cute he was, even when he was trying to be goofy.

Lark ticked his head toward a shop on the corner of the street, "I have my ways. Now...about that ride…"

"There's no room for me in that!" Wendy exclaimed. "There's only one seat!"

Lark gestured in front of him, "Where there's a will, there's a way."

Wendy's mouth dropped open, but her grin was wide as she drew closer to the cart. Lark moved the seat back, making room for her to settle between his legs. She leaned against his chest rigidly, all too aware of the close proximity of their bodies.

"Put your legs straight out," he instructed. His long arms came around her, gripping the steering wheel, pausing for a moment to hug her before beginning to pedal. She liked the feeling of being completely enveloped in his arms, his knees hitting hers with every movement. The friction between her back and his chest sent shockwaves through her body, very different from the time they'd ridden in the monster truck. She'd been terrified then. This...was pleasant.

Wendy squealed with delight as the cart started rolling down the boardwalk. The city had developed the boardwalk so that there was a specific lane for them to ride in, so they wouldn't bother walkers or other traffic. Wendy thought for sure she was going to get nauseous, but found that she was at ease and just wanted to enjoy the feeling of being so close.

There was a sudden dip in the sidewalk, causing Wendy to cry out, but then she burst out laughing.

"Faster!" Wendy cried out, exhilarated.

Lark chuckled, "I can't. It's a bit awkward. I'm reaching around you in order to guide us."

"Maybe we should get a bigger cart," Wendy suggested.

They were closer to the bike shop now and Wendy could see that they had many other rental options that could carry up to 8 passengers. There were side by side 2-seaters with 2 sets of pedals and one steering wheel. It was designed much higher - more like a car than a cart. There were even tandem bikes.

"Any one of those would give us a bit more room," Wendy concluded.

He wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck, "But I'm enjoying you right where you are! We can make it work, can't we?"

Wendy blushed, squeezing his knee lightly to remind him to watch the path. She liked the position they were in too. His breath was warm on the back of her neck, sending chills down her spine. She was highly aware of the heat coming off his chest.

"Yeah," she murmured breathlessly, "We can make it work."

"I have an idea," he suggested, "You steer, I'll pedal."

"I can't drive this thing!" Wendy laughed, "I've never driven anything in my existence!"

"It's not rocket science!" he encouraged, "Just move the wheel!"

Wendy was about to protest but Lark let go of the wheel entirely, lazily wrapping his arms around her waist. The cart veered, heading off the path toward a dike leading down to the water, but Lark didn't stop pedaling.

Wendy let out a cry of alarm, grabbing the steering wheel and turning with both hands as she veered them back onto the path, narrowly missing a crossing bird. She shrieked with laughter as they hit a bump, completely cutting a corner of the path. The cart bounced over some tree roots, Wendy bouncing between Lark's legs as she fought for control.

Lark tightened his grasp around Wendy's waist, holding her comfortably against his chest as they leveled out on a straight stretch, finally moderating his rapid pedaling to a slower, more steady pace.

"This is nice," Wendy sighed contentedly once her heart had slowed a bit. She watched the path ahead diligently, but found that the initial adrenaline from being left to steer dulling.

"It is," Lark agreed, "I wasn't sure if you'd like it or not."

"I do," Wendy said immediately, "This is really fun."

"The rental owner was telling me there's an ice cream shop up here," Lark pointed ahead, "We can stop there, get an ice cream, and then it'll be time to take the cart back."

Wendy nodded, leaning back into his chest, their synchronized driving lulling her into contentment.

* * *

"C'mon," Lark urged, reaching his hand out, "Just come to me. I won't let you fall...I promise."

An hour had passed. No sooner had the cart been safely returned to the bike shop when Lark was dragging her to their next destination...a place Lark had spotted along the way.

Wendy reached out her trembling fingers, keeping her eyes locked with Lark's reassuring gaze. It occurred to her how utterly ridiculous her fears were. She was an Angel, even if she was pretending to be human for the night. If she fell, it wouldn't actually hurt.

"H-have you done t-this before?" she stuttered, finally securing her hands in his. To her relief, his palm was sweaty too.

He pulled her close, holding her steady as she wavered on her feet. Even as she steadied, he made no move to release her.

He shook his head, "No. But roller skating can't be that different from ice skating, right?"

Wendy didn't know. She had never done either.

It was incredibly loud in the arena. Old rock n' roll music reverberated off the walls, strobe lights dancing every which way. Wendy hadn't been to a place like this before.

Lark released her finally, holding onto her hand shakily as he tested his own ability to glide on the skates. Wendy shrieked with laughter as she fought to maintain her balance when he pulled her along, their hands gripping tightly together.

"Okay - I think I've got it!" Lark announced, pulling back to her side, "Don't shuffle. Push forward on one skate and let the wheels take you."

Wendy giggled. They were definitely doing something wrong. People passed them, some couples holding hands, others skating individually. Every one of them looked far more dignified than either Lark or Wendy. Even the little girl that barely looked old enough to walk was doing better.

"See?" Lark beamed happily, squeezing her hand tightly, "Nothing to it! This is easy! No sport is unattainable for the great Larcade Drag-!"

Lark's feet slipped out from underneath of him. He pushed Wendy away a bit, letting go of her hand so he wouldn't take her with him, before thudding to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Wendy cried out, trying to suppress her laughter. Lark's bewildered face made her giggle even harder. He was completely shocked, his fine blonde hair in complete disarray, lying awkwardly in a mess of his own limbs.

"I'm good," Lark groaned dramatically as he untangled himself, lying flat on the rink floor, "Only marginal pain... I'm not sure I can get up yet though."

Wendy shuffled over to him, preparing to reach down to help him up. A skater, far more advanced in his skills than either of them, whooshed past her, making Wendy waver on her uncoordinated skates. Wendy hadn't realized just how much Lark had been stabilizing her. She couldn't maintain the balance, crying out as she started to fall. Lark rolled over, placing himself beneath her, then 'oomphed' as she fell onto his abdomen.

"You okay?" Lark asked, wrapping his arms around her back.

Wendy melted into his embrace, despite the fact that other skaters were stopping nearby.

"Lark...we should get up. People are looking."

"They're so cute!" an older woman sighed contently, pulling on the sleeve of the man she was with.

Lark shook his head, pulling her directly on top of him, "I don't want to get up yet. Let's lie here...just for a minute."

Wendy felt herself relax, appreciating how much more comfortable resting atop Lark's chest was than trying to roller skate.

"Excuse me," a man interrupted her thoughts, "Are you kids okay?"

"Yeah," Lark stated lazily, "We're fine."

"How many fingers am I holding up?" another man asked.

"Is anything broken?" a woman interjected.

As much as Wendy realized they should be really nervous by all the attention they were drawing, she couldn't help but be thankful for the myriad of people around them asking if the young couple was unharmed. It wasn't often that anyone acknowledged Wendy. Seeing people so concerned for their well-being... it was special.

The woman, likely in her mid-20's, wore a jean halter top. Her long blonde hair was drawn into a high ponytail. It occurred to Wendy that the woman was far prettier than she was. Large breasts, make-up enhancing her big, blue eyes. She glanced at Lark, noting he hadn't even glanced at the newcomer. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be resting blissfully.

"We're okay," Lark assured the concerned bystanders, "Just clumsy, that's all."

"We can help you up," another woman offered.

This one was a young red-head. The men had shuffled backward, allowing the growing female crowd to push them out completely. It occurred to Wendy that they were openly gawking at Lark's prone form. She could hear the odd whispers of, 'cute' and 'handsome' echoing throughout the crowd. A pang of jealousy shot through her, causing her to grip his shirt just a little tighter.

"Thanks," Lark insisted, "but we're fine."

Wendy forced herself upward into a sitting position, never more thankful that Angels didn't feel pain. Beside her, Lark rose as well, smiling gently at her as a brunette casually asked if Lark would like to skate with her.

"No thank you... I have my skating partner," Lark told her, pecking Wendy's cheek.

"I can teach you to skate," another girl offered. "I'm very... capable."

Lark should his head, "I'm skating with my girlfriend."

A few of the girls gasped, muttering angrily amongst themselves as they moved away about how Wendy looked more like a little sister than girlfriend material. Wendy stared at him wide-eyed as Lark completely dismissed the entire incident, nonchalantly assessing how to get off the ground.

"What?' he asked when he caught her staring at him.

Wendy blushed, looking down at their still connected fingers, "You called me your girlfriend."

Lark grinned, leaning forward to kiss her cheek, "I guess I didn't ask you officially...I sort of thought it was implied though."

Wendy giggled as Lark turned his attention back to their present dilemma, dismissing the awkward conversation in true Lark style. He tested his ability to get up, his skate moving out from underneath of him, sending him straight back onto his butt.

"How _do_ we get up?" Wendy asked, her eyes alight with amusement.

Lark hummed, considering their options. He wondered if perhaps they should have had some of the crowd help.

"Okay...I'm going to get to my knees. Then I'll put one foot up and use your shoulders to get to my feet," Lark told her. "Once I'm up, then I'll lift you."

Wendy nodded, watching as Lark awkwardly maneuvered himself to his knees. The skate was larger than a normal shoe and it didn't want to twist around the way he wanted it to. Bystanders still watched the odd couple as their eyes locked, Lark's hands on her shoulders. Wendy started giggling as Lark made a production of it, taking large, heaving breaths as he prepared himself to get to his feet.

He pushed down on her shoulders, putting one shaky skate to the ground.

"Here goes!" Lark announced, pushing up. He was almost up, shakily holding onto Wendy's shoulders. The zipper of his jeans were in her face as he rose from his kneeling position, making Wendy blush.

A few teenage girls stopped a few feet away, opening commenting about Lark's good looks even as he reached down for Wendy's hands.

"She _can't_ be a girlfriend," one of the girls remarked, "Maybe a little sister or a cousin."

Wendy ignored them, grabbing onto his clothes to try to climb up his body. She shot the teenage girls a cocky grin as she stuck her thumbs through his belt loops, making it very clear that she was _not_ Lark's sister.

To her absolute horror, she lost her balance, the left skate flying out from underneath of her. She fell to the ground again, pulling Lark's pants down with her.

Lark couldn't help but laugh. The entire rink stopped what they were doing, staring at him in his boxer-briefed glory. Wendy broke out into giggles too as he released her hands, pulling his pants back up, then slipped, crumpling to a heap beside her.

The teenage girls gawked, but to Wendy's absolute delight, Lark was totally oblivious to them.

"Maybe I should try," Wendy suggested after her laughter subsided.

Lark nodded, righting himself to a sitting position.

She placed her hands on his shoulders, locking eyes with him for encouragement.

"You're so pretty, Wendy," Lark murmured, leaning in to kiss her.

She smiled against his lips, "You're not mad that I accidentally pulled your pants down?"

He shook his head, "Why would I be? It's nothing you haven't seen before."

Two of the teenage girls huffed, finally skating away to check out a group of boys at the other end of the rink.

Wendy blushed madly as he hooked his hands in her armpits.

"Ready? On 3," Lark told her.

Wendy nodded, trying not to giggle at the sensation of Lark's fingers tickling her.

"1," Lark counted.

Wendy took a deep breath.

"2."

Wendy maneuvered one foot to a kneeling position.

"3."

Wendy pushed down on his shoulders, Lark hugging her knees as she shakily stood so she wouldn't fall again.

"I'm up!" Wendy announced happily, "Now, how do we get you up? If I try to pull you up, you'll bring us both down again for sure."

Wendy glanced around, spotting an unused pylon. Smaller kids were using them to hold onto as they tried to skate.

"No," Lark smirked, "I'm not using a pylon. I'll crawl to the wall and use it to get up."

Wendy laughed again as he crawled clumsily on hands and knees to the edge of the rink, "How is that better than using the pylon?"

"It is!" Lark insisted. He pulled himself to his feet, wavering only for a moment before turning to her triumphantly, "We're up! Now what do you say we try this again?"

Wendy grinned, shuffling to him so that she wouldn't fall again. Hand in hand, they went for round 2.

* * *

Three quarters of an hour after their first fall (and about 10 minutes after their last when they finally gave up roller skating), Lark decided that it was time for food. Wendy had never been so glad that Angels didn't feel pain as she looked over Lark's bruises. Lark was still more human than Angel, so he felt their falls more. He didn't complain though, completely contented just to try something new with Wendy. However, both were quite happy to take their skates off and move on to the next activity of their date.

"Not like that," Lark shook his head, "You have to wrap your lips completely around it."

"W-wike dis?" Wendy asked.

"Better," Lark concurred, "but you're not quit gripping it right. Wrap your hand all the way around. Then bite."

Wendy tried to follow instructions, chomping down on the hot dog as hard as she could, then glancing to Lark for his approval. A big gob of mustard slipped off and landed on her shirt.

"Agh!" she exclaimed, grabbing the nearest napkin. She dabbed at her shirt desperately as Lark dissolved into laughter, "It's hopeless, Wendy. Mustard doesn't come out easily from a white shirt."

Wendy's face fell.

"It's not so bad," he promised, trying to stop snickering, "We can just add more and draw something. People will think it's meant to be there."

"Or," Wendy said playfully, plucking some mustard that had fallen onto her paper plate. She dabbed it on his shirt, Lark's mouth falling open in shock, "We can just be a matching pair!"

Lark mock-scowled at her. He grabbed the mustard bottle, squeezing more onto his finger, then extended lines from the gob of mustard on her torso.

"A sun!" Wendy beamed, reaching for the bottle.

10 seconds later, Lark had a moon on his shirt, both teens grinning mischievously at each other when the hot dog stand attendant took the mustard from their table, sending scorning glances to both of them.

Lark ticked his head, indicating the clerk hadn't taken the ketchup. Wendy burst out laughing.

She finished her hot dog as they walked aimlessly through the city, noting that Lark had long since finished all three of his. She wasn't even sure when he extended his hand, their fingers interlocking in a familiar, safe way, but his palm was soft. He walked beside her, gently guiding her with his hand on her lower back as they passed through the crowd.

"We should get new shirts," Lark lamented, pulling his shirt away from him to look at the 'drawing'.

Wendy nodded absently, noting how he squeezed her fingers as they walked. She had never understood the need for humans to constantly touch each other, but now she found that she craved it. Lark was gentle with her...tender. Wendy wasn't sure she'd ever been so _happy._

She was so lost in her thoughts that she barely noticed that Lark had pulled her into a clothing store. Gathering her senses about her, she started for the plain white blouses when Lark halted her, gently tugging her arm.

"You're a teenager today, Wendy," he said softly, "Let's get you a shirt that a teenager would wear."

Wendy wasn't sure how much higher she could feel. Lark had steered her away from her usual, plain white blouses, instead selecting a soft, flowered cotton shirt. She liked the way that it felt on her skin. Paired with the jeans that he'd selected for her the last time they'd gone shopping, Wendy felt her confidence boost.

Lark stepped back, encouraging Wendy to have some fun when a sales clerk joined them, a small, proud smile on his face as Wendy completely forgot that she wasn't human and lost herself in the clerk's suggestions on what would flatter her figure. He watched her laugh with the clerk, who was not much older than a teenager herself.

Lark loved Wendy's smile. Other men around the store showed their boredom openly but he was so busy watching Wendy, he simply forgot to be bored.

"We can go now," Wendy told Lark as she approached, beaming.

Lark smiled, taking her bags from her to carry, then offered her his other hand, "Let's go dump the bags back at the hotel...then we can find something fun to do."

Wendy waved to salesgirl, who winked at her on their way out.

"She thinks you're cute," Wendy informed him.

Lark chuckled, "I was wondering why you were both staring at me. And what's your opinion on the matter?"

Wendy blushed, "I told her it's our first date. She had all sorts of advice for me."

"Like what?" Lark asked. A part of him wanted to press his unanswered question, but Wendy was starting to relax a bit and he didn't want to back her into a corner with having to admit something she wasn't ready to talk about.

Their hands swung as they walked a slow pace, nodding to the odd person that acknowledged them on the path.

Wendy shook her head adamantly, "She told me it's girl talk. Whatever was said stays between us."

Lark laughed, "Well, that's okay. You can keep your secret. It's just nice that you made a friend."

Wendy froze in momentary shock, "I did, didn't I? I haven't made a human friend before. Being human is...nice. Even if it _is_ only for one day."

Lark could see her face turning sad, allowing herself to mourn the life she never had. He needed to get her smiling again.

"I was your friend first," he snorted, relieved when the sparkle returned to her eye, "Don't I count?"

Wendy halted, yanking him to a stop too. She took both hands, smiling up into his dark eyes, "If I never made another friend in my existence, I am thankful that you decided that we'd be friends. I wouldn't trade you for anything."

Lark felt his insides melt, stooping to kiss her lightly.

"And I think you're incredibly cute," she admitted, flushing madly.

She had no idea how those words affected him as she turned away, completely missing the matching blush that adorned his cheeks.

* * *

" _It's because I love_ _you_ _, Joshua!"_ the woman on the screen yelled, her voice choked with tears, " _Don't you get it? I can't marry Devon because I'm in love with you!"_

Wendy stared wide-eyed as Joshua froze, shaking his head in disbelief. Her eyes were glued to the screen as she shoveled popcorn into her mouth, but Lark was watching Wendy. She had been completely sucked into the dramatic-comedy they'd decided to see at the theatre. He found it more interesting to watch her expressions and her reactions to different scenes than the movie itself.

The movie was about two people, who ended up as roommates through a series of hilarious events. They drove each other crazy. Joshua was constantly eating all the food. Samantha left everything she owned in the bathroom constantly. Lark found it amusing how absorbed Wendy became as they had their first real fight over a boyfriend Joshua didn't like, then their make-up scene where they pledged to be each other's best friend...no matter what. Joshua quietly supported Samantha, even though he hated the man she was going to marry and he was secretly in love with her. Apparently it was a mutual secret affection now.

Joshua crossed the room, standing inches from Samantha's face.

Lark felt Wendy tense, her hold on the popcorn bag becoming vice-gripped. He reached for her hand, then thought better of it, watching her expression instead as Joshua smoothed the back of his hand down Samantha's face.

" _That's not fair, Sam,"_ Joshua whispered, " _Please don't play with me like that. You know I-"_

Wendy grabbed onto Lark's arm, her fingernails digging into his skin, as Samantha threw herself into his arms. Lark resisted the urge to snicker as he tried not to flinch at the pain she didn't know she was inflicting on him.

" _I'm not playing. I can't marry Devon...because I love you. I'm sorry it took me so long..."_

Lark decided to go for it, placing his hand overtop of Wendy's. He could feel the warmth her skin gave off suddenly as Joshua and Samantha engaged in a heated first kiss. The look of arousal in Wendy's eyes intrigued him as Joshua pinned Samantha to the wall, her legs coming around his waist as he ground into her.

Wendy was blushing, refusing to look Lark's way, much to his amusement. Her fingers, still wrapped in his hand, began to twitch as Joshua carried Samantha to the bedroom, the characters slowly removing each others' clothing piece by piece.

Lark couldn't take his eyes off Wendy, who stared at the screen with huge eyes.

Joshua and Samantha were making out heavily now, their clothes strewn about the room. They explored each others' bodies, their lips never parting as Joshua settled over her.

Wendy removed her hand from Lark's, covering her eyes, although Lark could see she was still peaking between slightly parted fingers.

"Enjoying the movie?" Lark asked, noting her obvious discomfort as she shifted a second time.

Wendy couldn't get herself to look at him in the eye as she sunk lower into her seat. Joshua and Samantha were screaming, the image of their entwined bodies moving together branding itself into her mind as she desperately searched for another focal point.

"Yeah..." she replied finally, her voice unusually loud and shaky. She focused on the nearly empty popcorn bag, "It's great. Did you know this isn't butter on the popcorn? It's oil."

Lark suppressed a chuckle as other people around them hissed at her to be quiet. She flushed, willing herself to get swallowed by the seat.

Samantha and Joshua were kissing lazily on the screen now, their sexual escapade over as their confessions continued.

Satisfied that the sex scene was over, she dropped both hands from her face and reached for the popcorn bag. Her hand touched Lark's ever so slightly, making her jerk back, her eyes wide.

"You're so cute, Wendy," Lark murmured, reaching for her hand again.

Wendy blushed profusely, but allowed him to intertwine their fingers.

* * *

"Okay…" Lark said after several moments of silent walking toward the theatre exit, "Lemme have it...what did you think of the movie?"

He held the door open for her, a little sad that their date had to end soon. They'd agreed they would 'turn back into pumpkins' when the movie was over. They would have a quick snack (mostly for Lark's sake), then find a quiet place to _conceal._ It was better to return to the hotel after _concealment_ , just in case.

Wendy was still silent. Lark almost thought she was scanning the area to be sure they were still safe, but her face was so red he realized she was actually still deep in thought.

"It's okay if you didn't like it. It was pretty lame," Lark shook his head, "Very cliche and the comedy was slap-stick at best."

He glanced at her as they started walking down the boardwalk, watching for any change in her face. He fought the urge to chuckle at her still completely-rigid face.

"I liked it. The story itself was kind of sweet," Wendy said finally, "Two people who end up under the same roof through unforeseen circumstances. They can't stand each other's habits...he's a pig, leaving stuff everywhere. She has way too many personal items and is a clean freak. As time goes on, they begin to like each other's quirks. They begin to care about one another...they look out for each other."

"Kind of like us, right?" Lark quipped, a twinkle in his eye.

Wendy's mouth dropped open, averting her gaze slightly before nodding.

"Want to get a few slices of pizza and go sit in the park?" Lark asked, accepting her need to change the subject.

She knew he'd need to eat and she wasn't quite ready to end their date, so she followed Lark to the streetside vendor cart that he had spotted. Lark ordered a small pepperoni pizza, taking her hand as they wandered into the park. They chose a spot underneath a tree near the lake. The moonlight danced off the calm water as Lark settled at the base of the tree, opening his arms for her to join him.

Wendy didn't hesitate, settling between his legs with a satisfied sigh. She liked how his bigger body wrapped completely around hers.

"What about your pizza?" she asked, already relaxing against his chest.

"Cold pizza is fine," he murmured in her ear, "I'm too comfortable right now. I can eat it when we get back to the hotel."

Wendy loved the comfortable feeling too. The night air was pleasant. There was very little movement around them.

He pointed to the edge of the water, "Do you see that?"

Wendy strained her eyes against the quickly fading twilight. It was mostly dark now. Once again, she found herself thankful that Angels saw well in darkness. The reeds were twitching. Suddenly, she saw them...a dozen tiny yellow bodies scurrying after a mother duck as she herded them into a barely visible nest.

"They're so little," Wendy whispered, in complete awe.

Mother duck quacked loudly. Wendy imagined that she was scolding her ducklings that it was time to go to bed. Obediently, the baby ducks stopped quacking, settling underneath the mother duck's body to go to sleep.

"They're so fluffy!" Wendy commented, a small grin on her face.

They fell back into a comfortable silence, simply enjoying the night air. The sound of crickets permeated their ears. Sometimes something would splash in the water.

"Wendy…" Lark pointed upward.

Wendy hadn't realized how clear the sky was. The entire skyline was littered with sparkling stars as the last soft glow of the sunlight disappearing behind the mountain range.

"Is this the same view you'd see from Heaven?" Lark asked softly.

Wendy shook her head, "I don't spend a lot of time in Heaven...but it's broader. It's like you can see everything at once...the planets...the stars. I couldn't describe it if I tried."

She paused, pointing to a star that streaked across the sky. It fizzled out somewhere out of their view.

"Beautiful," Lark whispered.

Wendy lifted her head, realizing Lark wasn't looking at the stars anymore. He smoothed her bangs back, leaning forward.

His lips were tender on hers, not demanding...simply taking the moment to be thankful that they had this one last minute in time as human teenagers.

"We need to _conceal_ ," he said softly as he pulled away. His fingers played with one of her ponytails as he pulled away slightly.

She nodded hesitantly, "I know...but I don't really want to."

"Me neither," he agreed. He paused, glancing down at their intertwined fingers, "I hope you had fun today."

"I don't want it to end," Wendy admitted. Her free hand rested on his lap, stroking his thigh slowly with her thumb, "Today has been the best day of my existence."

"We can still date," Lark reminded her, "But I don't think we should _unconceal_ too often."

"Neither do I," she murmured back, "But if it were possible, I think I'd want to spend every day like this."

Lark chuckled, "Falling down on our butts roller skating and watching movies that make you feel awkward?"

Wendy shook her head, "It doesn't matter, Lark. I'm happy...because I got to spend it with you."

Lark tightened his grip on her hands, the tingling of adrenaline rushing through him. It was the closest thing he'd had to a confession from Wendy...and that made him very, very happy.

"That said, we need to go back to the hotel," Wendy sighed, "We have to leave town early in the morning."

Lark nodded, both of them _concealing_ at the same time.

* * *

Wendy couldn't help feeling sad on their way back to the hotel. They walked hand-in-hand through the crowd, but nobody acknowledged them. Nobody nodded to them. A part of her felt empty, longing to be acknowledged again amongst the human race. The other part knew being an Angel was her identity. It was bad enough they'd allowed themselves to get distracted for the entire day. They needed to get back on track.

Neither spoke as they made their way back to the hotel _._ The bustling nightlife of Gallowstown was surprisingly busy for such a small place. Red lights flickered on as they walked, beckoning the night's patrons to enter their dark passageways.

It was Wendy's turn to curse her night vision as they passed an unlit alley behind a rowdy bar. She paused at the opening, hearing scuffling and muffled noises.

To her horror, she saw a man and woman shoved up against a pallet and pile of soggy cardboard boxes. Legs spread, the woman was moaning as the man thrust into her, bare ass cheeks clear as day to Wendy's unsuspecting gaze.

Lark pulled her away and continued onward. Wendy took a closer look at the shops opening up around them. Everywhere she looked she was faced with 'XXX' clubs and 'Pleasure-for-rent' establishments. Her face flushed heavily and she moved faster, pulling Lark away from the avenue that was thoroughly destroying the charm night had bestowed on their wonderful day.

* * *

"Wendy, what's wrong?" Lark repeated. They had returned to their room in silence. Wendy had practically flown back, dragging him close behind. His feet hurt and he got the feeling that Wendy was more uncomfortable now than ever, "Please talk to me."

"Nothing is wrong," Wendy insisted. "I just didn't realize our hotel was in such a seedy part of town."

"Seedy? Oh… you mean the strip clubs?" He tried to ask casually, but the strain on Wendy's face spoke volumes.

"Yeah."

"Oh… well, the cheaper rooms tend to be in these districts since turnover is so high and-,"

This time Lark's face flushed as it occurred to him...he had no idea how much Wendy knew about sex.

"Um...do you have any questions you need answered?" he asked awkwardly.

"Not really," Wendy stared at the ceiling as she took a seat on the bed, "Maybe. I just don't understand much about the human drive for physical pleasure. Like the movie, for instance... one minute they weren't together at all, then the next, they were. But it seems that the attraction was pre-existing. So...did the human sex solidify their bond? Or was it the attraction that made them able to have sex?"

She was bringing up their old argument, Lark realized. She still thought human sex was spontaneous and didn't mean anything.

He sat on the bed beside her, contemplating his answer.

"The way they felt about each other was already there," he conceded, "And it would have continued to be there whether they had sex in that scene or not. The emotions were strong...they love each other. So, although the sex was spontaneous, it meant something to both of them. It solidified their relationship."

Wendy nodded, staring at her feet for a long moment. Lark's hands were restless. He folded them under his armpits so he'd keep them to himself. He blew the bangs out of his face, noting the awkward tension in the air.

"What about those… places we passed? Do humans not want a meaningful connection after all?" Wendy twisted her fingers together. "If they aren't having sex to show love or solidify a relationship, why do they seek it so much that it's a marketable industry?"

Lark coughed awkwardly. He was still too young to enter _those_ establishments, but he had joked with the boys at school about them before. He took a deep breath and sat beside her.

"Sometimes… some people aren't as lucky to find love, or they've lost love or hope, but the emotions… the need is still there. Adults will pay for it. Teenagers… well, we just make stupid choices sometimes I guess, but we can't make the hormones stop…"

His face burned as he talked, not really knowing what he was saying. All he could think about was Wendy and how much he wanted… to see her like… Something was bubbling in his gut, a stronger impulse than anything he'd felt before. It was foreign, but so… necessary.

"Is it just attraction, then?" Wendy inquired, placing a hand lightly on Lark's cheek. "Are these feelings just natural biology running its course until it's satisfied?"

"Sex is still precious, Wendy," he insisted, leaning close so their noses grazed lightly. "It is to me. You are precious and you mean everything to me. You are beautiful and all I want is to spend this time with you… the rest of the world be damned."

"Lark?" Wendy asked tentatively, her voice shaking. Wendy's pupils were dilated, her pulse lightning fast. He could smell her arousal and it was intoxicating.

Lark wasn't sure who moved first, but suddenly Wendy was in his arms and they were falling back onto the bed, their arms wrapped and lips locked in a tangle of energy writhing through them both. Lark rolled until she lay atop him, never breaking apart. Her hands found their way into his hair, tugging as his hands slid down her waist to knead into her ass. He pulled her legs apart so she could slide around him, pressing harder onto him. Lust coursed through them and Wendy cried out as the unfamiliar sensation took hold. It emboldened her.

Her hands left the silky strands of his hair to pluck at the edges of his shirt. When he tried to sit up to help, she pushed him back down and ground herself onto him. She called on her abilities, letting the air in the room dance around her as she guided a single thread of air through the fabric of his shirt. With a heavy-lidded kiss, she clenched her fist and the thread of air burst, reducing his shirt to nothing.

Lark wasted no time. Hands moving to her back, Lark gripped the fabric of her blouse and tore it away. The scraps of the shirt he had chosen so carefully fell to the floor but neither of them cared. Their breaths were short and as soon as the cloth was cleared, Lark pulled her against him, rolling again so he was over her, pinning her to the bed.

Their skin on skin contact made Wendy ache in ways she never dreamed possible. She wanted more. Needed more of him. His hand on her waist wasn't enough. The lips on her neck made her gasp for air but she still needed more. She could feel him. His soul was filling every inch of her and it was magnificent.

She let her abilities trail out from her fingertips once more, threading air into every inch of their jeans. She clenched her fist as Lark's teeth grazed her earlobe and in a heartbeat their bare legs met.

Lark groaned as his boxer-covered erection met Wendy's silky smooth thigh instead of course jeans. He pressed in, pushing up as her legs wrapped around his waist and he was met with a beautiful warmth he wanted to bathe in.

"Lark," Wendy cried out beneath him. He moaned again, his heart racing, his mind begging them to be rid of the rest of their clothing… to feel her nakedness engulf him entirely so they could-.

"No…" he murmured, his mind clearing from the fog that had settled around his actions.

"Hmm?" Wendy hummed, pulling him back in for another kiss.

"Wendy, no. Stop. We have to stop." Lark pulled her hands away from his neck and rolled away, grabbing a pillow to cover himself.

"Lark? Is something wrong?" Wendy blinked slowly, trying to refocus herself.

"I'm sorry, Wendy," he mumbled, looking away from her exposed form. "I let myself get carried away and we… I…"

"Lark, I don't understand," Wendy reached out but Lark stood before she could touch him.

Keeping his back to her, he grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom.

"I'm going to take a shower. I need to calm down before we… before I do something I know you'll regret."

He wasted no time, a little afraid if he lingered that he would go back on his own resolve. Lark shed the pillow at the door, closing himself into the bathroom, leaving a completely bewildered Wendy alone.

* * *

Lark cursed himself as soon as the door was shut behind himself. He didn't know how he'd made it happen, but he knew that Wendy losing control of her powers… that was his fault.

He started the water for his shower and rested his forehead against the cool tile wall. He felt like shit for just leaving her out there like that, but what could he do? She had been so clear on her hesitations around human sex and he just went and threw himself on her.

He sighed and hooked his thumbs underneath the boxer brief waistband, starting to pull it down when he felt small, cool hands wrap around his torso. Every nerve in body tingled as he closed his eyes. He hadn't heard her come in.

He turned slowly in her arms to face her, her cheeks already red. Her eyes were watery and a pang of guilt shot into his heart.

"Wendy, I-." She held up a hand to silence him.

"Do you really think that I could ever regret you?" she asked softly, curling herself into his arms.

She raised herself onto her tiptoes to press a gentle kiss to Lark's lips.

"Something happened there," he murmured, "You used your _abilities_ because of me...I don't know what I did..."

"It doesn't matter," she whispered, "Yes...I felt a surge of magic, but it's okay. You weren't making me do anything I didn't want to do. I choose this, Lark. I choose you."

The fire in him that had dulled slightly flared back to life as all rational thought left him and he kissed her back. His arms wrapped beneath her ass as he lifted her up to meet him, her legs eagerly wrapping around his waist. He pressed her up against the door and kissed her again.

"Oh gawd," he murmured as she rolled her hips against him, her lips traveling down his neck. "Boundaries. I need -ah!- I need you to tell me how far… what you want."

Wendy paused in her exploration of Lark's incredibly sensitive neck and met his cautious gaze calmly.

"Not sex… I think you're right about that... I'm not ready, but…"

"But?" Lark pressed gently, nibbling lightly on her earlobe.

Wendy flushed harder. "I want to... can I shower with you?"

Before she could register what he was doing, Lark had pulled her into the steaming water he had already turned on, underclothes and all. Their hands and lips met again beneath the fall of warm water cascading over their bodies. His touch was lightening, her kisses fire, their skin tingling with every movement.

Lark moaned as his cock teased her through the soaked layers of their clothing. He felt the pressure in his stomach building again, that new presence surging through him, enhancing this experience. He kissed her like a starved animal, trailing down her neck hungrily.

"Lark!" she gasped as he trailed lower, her back arching as his lips ghosted across her cloth covered nipples.

Wendy arched against him, bracing her arms against the stall as he settled his lips against her neck, then reclaimed her clothed breasts.

"Take it off!" she moaned. "Please!"

Lark gave a low growl, immediately complying with a hasty grapple with her bra straps. The hooks let go, the offending garment falling to the shower floor. He set her down gently, making sure she was steady on her feet before running his fingers gently over the pert nipples she had let him expose.

Gazing up at her shining eyes, he kept their eyes locked as he wrapped his lips around her left nipple and gave it a firm suck. Her eyes rolled back and her head rested on the wall as he twirled his tongue and suckled hungrily at her breast. He let his fingers continue with the one on the left so there would be nothing feeling left out.

Her fingers grasped at his hair as he swapped places, his mouth eagerly attending the right nipple as his fingers played with her left. Wendy was panting heavily, her chest pressing into him with every breath.

Lark was in Heaven. He had left the world early and was left to spend his eternal days pleasuring the most beautiful Angel he would ever see. Seeing her writhe over his movements gave him more happiness than he could ever dream.

The sweetest smell hit his nose. Like clovers and honey, he was drawn down toward the warmth between her thighs. A heady fog settled over his mind as he thrust his nose in and inhaled.

"Oh, Lark," Wendy moaned above him. She could feel the heat of his breath and she ached. "More, please. Lark!"

He plucked at the cloth covering her. "May I?"

She nodded hastily and helped him pull her underwear from her body. Lifting her leg over his shoulder, he settled in and sent a tentative lick across her core. If he thought she smelled good, she tasted divine.

Her squeals of pleasure egged him on, her hands pushing his face deeper. He focused his tongue on a small nub of flesh near the front that elicited the strongest reaction from her. He ran a single finger along the rim of her entrance, going no further, to make her shiver with want for him. He alternated to let his tongue trace her entrance, which left her begging him to have all of her.

Knowing she was speaking from a headspace of pure pleasure, he continued his efforts and, with his spare hand, released his throbbing erection from his soaked shorts so he could stroke himself in time with everything he was doing to her.

Something struck him suddenly, a feeling nestled in the pit of pressure that had been building in him from the beginning. He knew if he pressed… pushed on that ball just a little more…

Wendy screamed above him and Lark was flooded with pleasure. His own and hers spread through him like a drug, leading him to his end. Waves of her scent flowed through his senses and her legs grew weak as her climax came to an end. He pulled his boxers back over himself before guiding her to the floor of the shower, her head resting on his collarbone as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Wow," she whispered.

"Yeah," he replied with a laugh, letting his hand run gently through her hair. The shower was still running, washing away any lingering stress from their days on the run.

Lark tilted Wendy's head up to kiss her sweetly, nuzzling her nose with his affectionately.

They finished their shower slowly, lathering one another up with soap and watching the water wash the suds away. They kept their kisses light and slow, their touches sweet and loving.

They shared the single towel Lark had brought with him, opting to dry one another off from head to toe as an excuse for more secretive caresses in the late hour.

Once Lark had removed his wet boxers, Wendy pulled him to the bed, naked as the day they were born. The smooth, clean sheets and their joined embrace lulled them into a contented, restful slumber.

* * *

 _ **A/N: A million thank you's to Wordsaremyspells1331. Certain things needed to happen this chapter that will set the bar for coming chapters. Things are going to move faster now.**_

 _ **Comments are always appreciated!**_


	39. Chapter 39

_**A/N: HOORAY SUMMER! It's finally here! Summer is by far my favourite time of the year.**_

 _ **Just before we get to this chapter, I want to put forth my intentions to take part in Nalu Week 2018. Last year, my dear friends Quite-A-Riot, Wordsaremyspells1331 and I took part in a 21 one-shot challenge for Nalu week. It was SO FUN! There has been some seriously great work turned out, so please feel free to check it out on all 3 of our profile pages.**_

 _ **My work is listed under 4 different stories: Nalu Week 2016, Nalu Week 2017, and Nalu Week Random One-Shots, and of course, Buck-A-Suck.**_

 _ **The reason I mention this is because I wrote a couple stories that inadvertently were mentioned in this chapter. In particular**_ _ **. Specifically**_ _ **, please look for 'THE WILD', which is documented as Chapter 5 under Nalu Week Random Prompts...it was based on the Angel of Oops 2 Dragneel Family's play time.**_

 _ **I think you'll enjoy this chapter...it was particularly fun to write.**_

 _ **~Shana~**_

* * *

Wendy's eyes fluttered open, the sun peeking through the windows to tickle her awake. As she stretched, she noticed that she was still in Lark's arms...nestled comfortably against his chest. The intimacy of their skin on skin contact was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She wondered why it made her feel closer to him... and why the activities of the previous night seemed to bring them to a whole new level.

They were in bed...naked together. Completely naked. She was _naked_ with her human...sort of Angel….ward. Their legs were intertwined, his fingers stroking her long blue hair in the depths of sleep. Her knee rested overtop of his...area, but she wasn't embarrassed, even though he sported morning wood. She had never been so at ease.

It shocked her that she wasn't freaking out.

Wendy ran her finger down Lark's chest, not pausing as he began to stir.

He groaned, nuzzling her neck in protest, "I'm not ready to get up yet...just a few more minutes."

"We can't," Wendy whispered, kissing his nose gently, "We have to leave town, remember?"

Lark intertwined his fingers with hers, his eyes cracking open, "You can't blame me for trying. I would much rather spend the day naked in bed with you."

Wendy kissed his cheek, then threw her legs over the edge of the bed, "We can't, Lark. We took a day to ourselves already. That was more than we could afford. We need to leave town."

She grabbed the sheet at the end of the bed, covering herself as she stood.

Lark watched her stretching form, sighing heavily, "Okay...I'm up. Maybe we should take another shower before we go though. We don't know where we'll end up tonight. It might be awhile before we settle somewhere."

Wendy pointed an accusing finger at him, a grin on her face as she realized what he was really suggesting, "No shower! Just get dressed and gather your things."

Lark smirked, but got out of the bed, not bothering to hide his nakedness from her as he searched through his backpack to find some clothes.

"It could be a short shower," he quipped, flexing his eyebrows suggestively.

Wendy threw a pillow at him before grabbing her own clothes, "Aren't you...going to get dressed in the bathroom?"

"Why?" he queried with a cocky grin, "You've seen it all now...nothing to hide."

"You're right," Wendy decided with a matching grin.

She dropped the sheet, turning her back to him as she slid on her undergarments.

Lark's jaw hit the floor, gawking as she made a show of putting her clothes on. It took a moment before he could shake himself out of shock enough to slide on his jeans. "We don't have much to pack. We'll need our shower stuff from the bathroom, our backpacks, and my cell. That's about it."

He froze, his eyes landing on his cell phone.

"What?" Wendy asked, now fully dressed.

Lark turned on his cell, his face turning solemn as he scrolled to his calendar, his suspicions confirmed.

"It's Daisuke's birthday today," he murmured, chucking the cell back onto the desk as he slumped into the chair. "I haven't missed his birthday since we met."

Wendy hated the look in his eye. Through all of their ordeal, Lark rarely mentioned his best friends or family. It occurred to her then just how much he must miss them. She resolved to bring them up a little more often. Avoidance was not helping him.

She put down her clothes, crossing the room to his side. Lark stilled as her arms enveloped him, drawing him into a loose hug.

"Wherever he is, Lark...you know he's thinking about you too. They all are."

Lark sank into her embrace, "They're fine, right? The Angels are protecting them."

"Yeah," Wendy promised, stroking his hair gently, "You don't have to worry. The Angels won't do anything to put them in danger."

She kissed the top of his head, shrieking as he pulled her down onto his lap, capturing her lips in a much firmer kiss. Wendy stopped struggling, giving all of herself into it. Maybe his friends and family couldn't be there, but Wendy would do everything in her power to keep him happy. He needed this intimacy. If she was being honest with herself, so did she.

Lark rested his forehead on hers, both of them basking in their quiet moment.

"Thank you," he whispered, "Wendy…"

"It's okay," Wendy assured him, "But we really have to go."

Lark nodded, putting his cell in his backpack. Wendy gathered her last remaining items and they left the room, hand in hand, fully _concealed._

* * *

The housekeeper dumped the soiled hospital-issued bedding in the trolley beside her, then moved to the next empty room. It was her job to ready the fourth floor after the mass discharge for new patients, but the nurses on this floor were resisting the orderlies, making it very difficult for her to do her job.

She cast a nervous glance to the reception desk of the 4th floor, where orderlies escorted discharged patients to the main entrance downstairs. The head nurse was livid, still resisting the little old man who sent his orderlies into the ward, discharging the patients against her will.

"These people are still injured!" Daphne insisted angrily, staring the little old orderly down.

He signaled the orderlies behind him, completely dressed in white, to proceed with the next round of discharges. They passed by, the tall, sandy-haired one barking out orders to the others about which patients to take next.

"Orders are orders!" the old man insisted, pointing to the papers in his hand, "And I have orders for the release of the following people…"

"Don't bother reading that!" Daphne snapped, her eyes starting to glow red, "You have no idea who you're dealing with. Turn around...leave...and don't come back."

Makarov chuckled, his moustache curling up with a wide grin.

"I'm afraid your powers of persuasion will have no effect on me, young lady," Makarov told her, his face turning serious, "In fact, I feel that you must be horribly overworked to be so incredibly rude to us."

"You have no idea who you're dealing with!" Daphne repeated, her red eyes glaring menacingly at him. The orderlies flinched, backing up a step or two as she stared Makarov down.

Makarov narrowed his eyes, "Nor do you, madam. I'm growing tired of this argument. Do us a favour...and _just look the other way_."

Daphne froze, her eyes fading back to their regular colour. She shot him a defiant scowl, "Fine. Good day, sir."

She spun on her heel, marching to the main desk. Makarov smirked as he watched her go, asking the other nurses about the new lunch menu.

Makarov lifted his cell phone after a long moment, "All units...report."

 _"The first batch of the dischargees are on their way home_ ," a male voice said, " _The next group is being gathered and we'll move out momentarily_."

"Excellent. Any sign of Daisuke?" Makarov asked.

" _Not yet,"_ a female voice responded, " _But we're running out of rooms to check. He's here somewhere."_

"Operation Save the Dai is a go, my children…" Makarov said solemnly, "Make sure your weapons are locked and loaded. Proceed with extreme caution and remember to report in every ten minutes."

There was a brief pause as Makarov heard the undeniable cocking of guns in the background. He snickered to himself, knowing this group wouldn't need their guns, Nerf or otherwise. Still, it made them feel better.

" _Who came up with that name anyway?"_ another male voice asked, " ' _Operation Save The Dai_ '..."

" _Connor…"_ everyone groaned collectively.

* * *

"I'm really glad you're spending time with your mother," Natsu told Lucy as he paced the hotel room, his cell phone on loudspeaker. "This is all...just so hard to believe."

" _I know,"_ Lucy agreed, " _But there are Angels everywhere, working hand in hand with us. Natsu...you wouldn't believe everything we're discovering. How...how is the search going?"_

"Sometimes I feel like we're never going to find him," Natsu confided, sitting on the edge of the bed, "The team has separated and we're traveling two different areas of Fiore to find them but... there are no signs. Not to mention Romeo has decided to declare war on me. He thinks I'm consorting with demons."

There was a pause on the other end as someone called to Lucy. She told them she'd be a minute before turning back to their conversation.

" _Romeo must know that's not true,"_ Lucy insisted, " _He knows you almost as well as I do. There's something else going on."_

"I think so too," Natsu sighed. He paused, trying to rid himself of the foreboding feeling that sat in the pit of his stomach. His head hurt from worrying about it. He needed to change the subject, "How are the kids?"

" _They're good,"_ Lucy promised, " _Mama has been spending as much time with them as she can. They try to follow up clues we may have missed. I don't know what they're working on now, but they're pretty excited about it."_

Natsu cocked his head, "They're smart! They must get that from their old man. Let me know what they come up with."

" _I'll let you know when they tell us. The kids are up in the attic today - that's their usual perch. They've asked to not be bothered. Apparently, they're following up some lead,"_ Lucy paused, tears encroaching her voice, " _You'd be so proud of them, Natsu...they work so hard...even though they've been through so much._ _We miss you_. _Come home soon, okay_?"

"I miss all of you too," Natsu assured her, wiping his own tear from his eye. This was the longest he'd ever been away from his family. He missed arguing with Mieske and Connor over bedtime...cuddling with Brielle as he read her a story...hearing Aki and Aimi argue about who got the bathroom first while Hansuke and/or Haru slipped in unnoticed...he even missed Lark trying to get out of chores. He missed them all, "I'll bring Lark home if it's the last thing I do, Luce."

" _I love you, Natsu."_

"I love you too. Talk to you tomorrow," he murmured as his hotel door opened. The call disconnected, leaving Natsu with an empty feeling.

"You okay, Flame-Brain?" Gray asked, sitting on the bed beside him.

Natsu nodded wordlessly.

"The car is packed. We're moving out," Gray told him.

Natsu nodded again, following Gray outside to begin another long day of fruitless searching.

* * *

"We couldn't have missed Jiggle by more than 5 minutes," Gajeel growled, "I don't know how he slipped past us."

"According to the surveillance tape, he went out the employees exit at the back of the store," Sting murmured, playing the tape back again for the twelth time, "We need to check out that clearing."

"We don't have the manpower to spare," Rogue argued.

Sting was about to reply, but his cell phone started ringing. He answered with a gruff, "Sting here. Talk to me."

Sting turned his back to the group so he could hear his phone call.

"The items gathered..." Erza said carefully, reading over her list again, "...Dan must be orchestrating their retrieval."

"It's mostly items like rope and tarps," Loke stated, looking over Erza's shoulder.

"Yes," Erza agreed as she pointed to one item in particular, "But only Dan would know to grab that item."

"Infrared camera?" Loke shook his head, "I don't understand. Why would that point to Dan?"

"He's looking for Angels," Gajeel smirked, Erza confirming with a nod.

"Dan's memory was wiped - he wouldn't remember that," Sting argued.

"No," Gajeel growled, "You're right about that. Someone may have reminded him."

"I'm heading to headquarters," Sting announced, cutting off Erza's next response. The others could hear the excitement in his voice.

"What's happening?" Rogue asked.

"The wounded!" Sting replied, "They've all been discharged...and they're checking in with Evergreen at the station."

The room froze.

"What about Daisuke?" Rogue asked, standing up, "Does Laki know? Is she going to get him?"

Sting shook his head. He didn't know.

"I'm going with you," Rogue told him, grabbing his jacket, "I'll call Laki on the way."

The two men slipped out the door.

"Let's get back out on patrol," Gajeel suggested to Erza, "I can't sit here anymore. We were so close yesterday. I say we go _transparent_. Time to catch this jerk in the act...this time if I smell his ass, he ain't getting away."

" _Transparent_?" Loke asked. He was learning the Angel _abilities_ , even though he'd had a crash course at orientation, "That's when we're invisible, but still able to interact with mortal objects? Won't humans be capable of feeling you?"

Gajeel and Erza both wore shit-eating grins, Gajeel cracking his knuckles, "Exactly."

"Do it," Loke agreed, "I'll stay here and watch the live feeds. Sooner or later, he's going to slip up. When he does, I'll be able to tell you where to strike."

"Not if I get to him first," Gajeel growled.

Erza and Gajeel nodded to Loke, then disappeared.

* * *

"It's kind of weird to be invisible to the rest of the world again," Wendy commented as she walked hand in hand down the boardwalk toward the train station, "Nobody acknowledges us. It's like we don't exist."

They had agreed that they would both remain _concealed_ as they made their way to the next town. It was better not to take chances after their stupid stunt the day before.

Although neither said it out loud, neither of them regretted their special day. It was completely natural to hold hands as they walked. A new level of closeness had been achieved and the natural high from their romantic interlude hadn't worn off yet.

Lark squeezed her hand, "Now you know how I feel. I've been human all my life...and suddenly I'm hiding all the time."

"I didn't consider that," Wendy admitted, "This can't be easy."

Lark shrugged, "Better than the alternative, I suppose."

"You must miss everyone," Wendy said softly.

Lark tilted his head, nodding affirmatively, "I do. It's funny because before, I used to get so annoyed by my family... even by my friends at times. But now...I'd do anything to know for sure that they're all safe. I hope Daisuke is surrounded by everyone he loves today."

Wendy nodded, "It must be nice to have so many people that care about you."

"You must miss your friends too," Lark surmised.

Wendy paused, realizing for the first time that maybe she did, "I suppose so. I used to find them oppressive at times, especially Erik and Jellal. They have overprotected me my whole Angelic career, I think. I don't have family...but overall, the Crime Sorciere Angels have always looked out for me."

Lark stopped walking, reaching for her other hand, "We still have each other."

Wendy smiled, their eyes meeting, "Yeah. We do."

They settled into a comfortable silence, arriving at the train station. A train was just arriving, indicating their best chance at leaving town soon.

"We need to know where that train is heading," Wendy said quietly, "There's no point in doubling back on ourselves. I'll go see if I can figure out the best route for us to take out of town. If you're hungry, maybe you should stock up on snacks from the vending machine."

She kissed his lips gently, then headed for the station.

Lark glanced over to the machine, noting the meager selection. However, beggars couldn't be choosers.

He checked to ensure no one was looking, then slipped some coins into the machine, selecting a few granola bars and bottled water. Placing them into the backpack, he settled back against the wall to wait for Wendy.

And that's when he saw her.

A woman stood on the platform, her long, dark hair reaching her waist. Her feet were bare, which struck Lark as odd, but she wore the telltale white garb that went to her ankles. There was no doubt in his mind...

...for the first time in several days, Lark could see an Angel.

* * *

The housekeeper pushed in the trolley of fresh linens, keeping her eyes cast downward, lest any of the psychotic nurses try to harass her for doing her job… again. This was certainly a suspicious bunch of medical professionals, in her opinion. None of the other floors gave her this kind of trouble.

The head nurse was still storming up and down the hallway, but it was like she had no idea why she was so angry anymore. The housekeeper decided it was better to shut the heck up and say nothing. She really didn't want to be on Daphne's shit list.

She retrieved her linen cart from the hallway, picking up a clean set of linen from the cart. She reached underneath the curtain of the cart to retrieve some garbage bags. She froze, backing up slightly. The garbage bags that should have been there were absent...and she was damned sure she'd just felt something...alive?

Swallowing, she checked the hallway to be sure she wasn't being watched. She took a deep breath, slowly lowering herself to the cart to lift the curtain.

Two sets of dark eyes stared back at her.

The housekeeper reeled back, opening her mouth to scream when a hand completely covered her, an arm wrapping her securely from behind.

"We're the good guys," a male voice whispered in her ear, "Everyone on this floor is being held against their will. We're here to break them free. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The housekeeper had no idea how to react, so she nodded slowly.

"I'm going to uncover your mouth," he told her, his voice cracking slightly, "I'm trusting that you won't give us away. Are you going to scream?"

She shook her head, suddenly realizing that this person was no more than a teenager...going through puberty, apparently, judging by the way his voice cracked.

The two sets of eyes scrambled off the cart, standing behind her captor as he slowly released her mouth. She turned carefully to face them. There were 3 boys in front of her. The teenager was tall and blonde, the two younger boys probably no more than 10 to 12 years old, both strawberry blonde-haired. All three wore camouflage shirts and belts around their heads...two streaks of green war paint on each cheek. Each boy carried a loaded Nerf gun, the largest boy's designed like a double barreled machine gun.

"We need your help, Ma'am," the taller boy said, "We need to find Daisuke Cheney...do you know where he's being held?"

The woman shook her head, shell-shocked, "I don't know that name...perhaps if you describe him..."

"He'll be the only teenager on this floor," the smallest of the boys said, cocking his Nerf gun as he surveyed both sides of the hallways to ensure they were still alone, "We've accounted for the rest of the hostages...but we haven't found him yet."

The housekeeper's eyes widened, "The violent boy. I'm not allowed to clean his room."

The three boys exchanged glances.

"Daisuke is not violent Ma'am," the middle-sized boy assured her, "Can you tell us where he is?"

The housekeeper swallowed again, pointing down the hallway to the darkest end of the ward.

"Thank you, Ma'am," the tall, blonde boy nodded to her, "You should get off this floor. Go to Dr. Porlyusica. She'll make sure you don't lose your job if things go south."

The housekeeper didn't need to be asked twice. She turned on her heel to leave, pausing only when the three boys started down the hallway after their friend.

"Wait," she asked softly, "Who are you?"

The tall blonde saluted her, the other two flanking him and saluting in turn, "Sergeant Major Ren Eucliffe, at your service. Rest assured...every last hostage on this floor is getting out of here alive."

The housekeeper's eyes widened, taken aback by his use of the word 'hostage', but she didn't ask any more questions as she made her hasty exit.

"Corporal Mieske...Private Connor!" Ren ordered as loudly as he could whisper.

Both boys saluted him immediately, "SIR!"

"We need to radio Squadron B and make them aware of the mission objective's whereabouts," Ren told them, "Our mission is to check every room in the east hall and ensure they've all been evacuated. Corporal Mieske, communication falls to you."

"SIR!" Mieske saluted again, walking a short distance away to report in to Master Makarov.

Connor cocked an eyebrow, eyeing the older boy inquisitively, "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

Ren exchanged glances with Mieske, then nodded, "Quickly, Private. We have limited time."

"Why does Mieske get to be a Corporal and I'm only a Private?" Connor asked.

"If we do a good job and everyone gets off this floor without our being discovered," Ren promised, "We'll ask Master Makarov for a promotion, okay?"

"With all due respect, he's only a year old than I am. If he's a Corporal, then I should be one too."

Ren sighed, shaking his head. There was no time for arguing, "Fine. Consider yourself promoted, Corporal Connor."

"Also, Sir!" Connor interrupted, stopping Ren's attempt at commencing their mission, "Why do you get to have Big Happy? He belongs to my dad...one of the Dragneels should carry him."

Sighing heavily, Ren removed the double-barrelled Nerf machine gun and exchanged it for Connor's dinky single-shot.

Connor grinned, shooting Mieske a smug grin, then proceeded to check the surrounding rooms for unevacuated victims. With _Corporal_ Connor Dragneel on duty, no stone would be left unturned.

* * *

The rest of the group were more than happy to stretch their legs, but Jellal found himself watching Romeo. He was acting stranger and stranger by the day. Jellal had listened at the hotel room door for some time the night before. Romeo had insisted on having his own room, citing that he sure as hell wasn't going to share with Cana and Bacchus. Lyon and Jellal had taken a room. Midnight didn't give a rat's ass where he slept, actually falling asleep in the back of Cana's SUV instead of picking a room.

Jellal had heard voices inside. Part of him thought about knocking on the door to find out who was in the room with Romeo. The other part of him suspected if he revealed his suspicions to Romeo too soon, he might never know what was really going on. Romeo would cover up whatever he was up to before Jellal could figure out the whole truth. He also thought about _concealing_. Few Angels knew of this ability. He could freely enter the room and see for himself first-hand what Romeo was up to. Just as he took the _shadows_ to _conceal_ , Midnight stepped out of the van, groggily rubbing his eyes.

" _Yo, Jellal! Which room is mine?_ "

Jellal sighed, knowing in hindsight that he'd waited too long.

They had made it to Shirotsume. From here, they would cross the mountains to focus on the small coastal towns on this side of Fiore. The other team was crossing through the centre of the country toward Crocus. When he'd spoken to Minerva earlier in the day, she said they hadn't come across anything unusual.

He didn't tell her about her the hotel room and Romeo, but a part of him wondered if he should have.

* * *

Cana and Bacchus hunkered over a map with Lyon, picking out small towns that could make good hiding spots for two runaway teens. Cana had the Intelligence Team on loudspeaker, catching up on the news in Magnolia.

The briefing finished, Lucy mentioned that she was reunited with her mother, who was getting to know all the kids. Cana was really happy for her friend. She couldn't count how many times in the past she had wished for her own mother to come back to her somehow. She paused, thinking about her father. She still had him, but he was laid up in the hospital still. She really needed to go and see him.

"Hey Laki...can I talk to Toby and Yuka?" she asked.

" _Laki's not here_ ," Mira's voice informed her, " _It looks like Daisuke is getting out of the hospital today. Laki went to the police station so she and Rogue can get him together. ALL the officers have been released...which means we have a much larger force to work with_."

" _The kids have asked to not be disturbed today_ ," Lucy added, " _They've locked themselves in the attic. There's something they're trying to figure out_."

Cana frowned, "Well...are Toby and Yuka doing okay? Are they fitting in?"

" _You'd be proud_ ," Lisanna assured her, " _The kids have completely accepted them. Full forgiveness. Toby and Yuka are working really hard to do their part_."

"Are you sure you can't interrupt them?" Bacchus asked, "We just want a minute."

" _I'll go check on them_ ," a voice they didn't recognize piped up.

"Who's this?" Cana asked, making eye contact with Bacchus.

" _I'm Layla_ ," the woman's voice said, her voice musical, " _I'm Lucy's mother_."

" _Just hang on a minute_ ," Lucy cut in, " _We'll call the kids down_."

" _I'll go_!" Layla insisted.

" _It's okay, Mama...I'll go with you. Be right back, Cana_."

"Yeah," Cana said softly, the unfamiliar pang of jealousy touching her heart over Lucy's unexpected reunion with her mother. "Thanks."

* * *

The police station was a flurry of activity as Rogue and Sting arrived. The atmosphere was joyful and celebratory, and they found themselves surrounded by hoards of officers greeting them with bear hugs and pats on the shoulder.

"We're back, Chief!' one of the officers called out, "And we're ready for action."

"Just tell us what to do to get those bastards back!" another called out.

"Everyone report to the Briefing room!" Evergreen called out.

Sting and Rogue found themselves being pulled along in the fray of officers, those who had been overworked for the past several weeks, and those that had been involuntarily detained.

Slowly, they made their way up to the front, exchanging glances as both wondered why everyone had been released at once.

"Welcome back!" Sting declared, extending his arms wide.

The officers cheered uproariously.

Sting took the time to update the officers on the current state of affairs. Half of Fairy Tail were traveling with the Angels to find Lark and Wendy. The other half remained in Magnolia, trying to find Dan.

As he finished, the room fell into an uneasy silence. The officers hadn't been advised before of the Angel presence. It answered a lot of their unasked questions.

"So...what happened to all of you?" Rogue asked slowly, "We were under the impression that you were still gravely injured. The hospital wouldn't tell us more than that...and due to some outbreak, we weren't allowed to go see you."

"Blatant lies," Droy yelled angrily, "They were keeping us prisoner on that floor."

"Who was?" Jet asked, confused. The officers that had not been hospitalized looked as overworked as they felt.

"The nurses," Vijeeter spat, "They weren't nurses. There's no way they were nurses."

The room broke out into frustrated comments, agreement to that statement.

"So how did you get out?" Sting queried, his voice loud to overcome the din in the room.

The room froze, knowing Sting and Rogue would not like the answer.

"Rogue!"

Laki threw open the door, rushing to her husband's side for a hug...and effectively saving the stunned officers from having to answer the question immediately.

"Where's Daisuke?"

Rogue's eyes widened, scanning the crowd. With the bombardment of back-slapping cops, he'd forgotten to check on Daisuke.

"Where are Gildarts and Daisuke?" Rogue demanded.

Rogue caught the glances between officers as they shook their heads, waiting for one of them to step up and tell him what had become of his son.

"They're still there," Sting realized.

"They'll get out," Droy promised firmly, "The team that released us was efficient. And I don't know what they did to those nurses, but no one was stopping them."

"We need to go to the hospital," Laki grabbed Rogue's arm, "Rogue…"

Rogue glanced at Sting long enough to see him affirmative nod, then ran from the precinct with Laki in tow.

* * *

Lark was enamoured with the Angel's beauty. She wavered on her feet slightly, making him wonder if she'd been hurt. He also realized the Angel would not be able to see him while he was _concealed_.

Glancing toward the train station, he could see Wendy was not on her way back yet.

The Angel stroked her long, dark hair, humming lightly to herself. She didn't seem to be worried about getting somewhere...and she didn't seem to be waiting for anyone. It was so strange to see an Angel just... standing there. After the long absence with no Angels around at all, it was odd that this one didn't seem to have a job. And she was alone. No ward in sight.

The Angel wandered to some nearby roses, stooping to smell them. She wavered slightly, and Lark almost moved to help her before she fell into them, but she righted herself, sighing contently before resuming her position, staring at the bus stop.

So she did have an agenda. She was watching for something.

Lark still couldn't see Wendy. He wished she'd hurry up. He wondered if it would be a good idea to talk to the Angel. If he _unconcealed_ , he could find out what she was doing. Of course, that meant exposing himself again.

He watched her sit down on a bench, casting another glance toward the train station. It occured to Lark that could she could have been stationed here to look for him and Wendy to bring them under Heaven's protection. If that was the case, then he _had_ to reveal himself.

Something nagged at the back of his mind... _just watch a little longer._

* * *

"We've got everyone but Gildarts and Daisuke," Toby murmured, adjusting his hat, "And the nurses haven't bothered us once."

"The old man is weirding me out though," Yuka commented, glancing back at Makarov, still leaning against the entrance door, his eyes closed. He looked to be deep in concentration.

"We should have had Ren ask the housekeeper where Gildarts is too," Hansuke pushed a door open, confirming the room was empty, "We're running out of places to look."

"If Daisuke is on one end of the ward, would Gildarts be in the same part of the ward?" Toby asked.

Yuka shook his head, "No way to know for sure."

"Sure there is," Hansuke scoffed, "We could ask one of the nurses."

The boys exchanged glances, looking over to the main desk where the nurses still squabbled over their choices on the lunch menu.

* * *

"I'm hungry," Brielle whispered as she checked both sides of the kitchen before opening the dumbwaiter, "How convenient that my entrance point is in the kitchen."

To her delight, the nurses' lunches had been delivered.

"Brielle!" Sora warned, as she climbed out of the dumbwaiter behind the younger girl, "We don't have time to eat. We need to find Daisuke and get the hell out of here. The boys are almost done evacuating the floor."

"And according to Master," Aimi added, hopping to the floor, holding up a piece of paper, "These are the directions the maid gave the boys...they should take us right to Daisuke."

"I'm thirsty," Megumi complained as she joined Brielle beside the nurses' lunches, "Oh look! Fresh juice!"

"Bottomless pits," Aki murmured, "You're worse than the boys."

"Aki...I'm _really_ hungry!" Brielle insisted, tugging on her sister's sleeve.

"Toby, Yuka and Hansuke are almost done escorting people to the lobby…" Saichi told them, "And Connor, Mieske, and Ren are almost done making sure the rooms are all clear. We need to get Daisuke and be gone before the nurses know we're here. You'll have to wait to have a snack 'til we get back to the house."

Brielle's lower lip started quivering. Aimi rolled her eyes, having caught on to Brielle's best trick at getting what she wanted long ago. Aki, however, was still oblivious.

Aki sighed in defeat, "Fine...take some things off the plates and let's get out of here."

Brielle and Megumi's faces lit up, quickly dipping their little fingers into various bowls.

"Vanilla pudding!" Megumi exclaimed, "Mmmm! It's good!"

Brielle grabbed an egg roll, biting into it, "It's not China Palace, but it's not bad! I'm going to grab some pudding too!"

She grabbed a small bowl, then passed Megumi one of the juice glasses.

"KANPAI, MEGUMI!"

"KANPAI!" Megumi called back, laughing.

"SHHHHH!" the rest of the girls hissed.

Megumi and Brielle each put a shushing finger to their mouths, giggling softly.

Both girls swigged back the juice until it was gone.

"Let's go," Aki whispered, "We need to turn left from the kitchen according to the boys' directions."

The girls followed Aki to the door. Brielle dipped her finger into the pudding, sticking it into her mouth as they all filed through.

There were nurses at the nursing station, but all their backs were turned.

"Oh Mavis…" Brielle whispered. Her eyes started to tear, her face going red.

"Brielle?" Aimi asked, concerned. This was _not_ one of her ploys. Brielle looked like she was…

"Are you choking?" Saichi asked in alarm.

Aki ushered everyone back into the kitchen.

Aimi stood behind her sister, ready to perform the Heimlich maneuver, "How do you choke on _pudding_ , Brielle? Only you!"

Brielle pushed Aimi away.

"What the heck?" Megumi asked.

"Wasabi!" Brielle's face was bright red as she started coughing uncontrollably, "Not pudding - that was wasabi!"

"Milk!" Sora cried out, rushing for the fridge.

Aki edged back to the door while the other girls shoved copious amounts of milk down Brielle's throat, glancing down the hallway toward the nurse's desk. Oddly enough, the nurses were still talking amongst themselves...none the wiser to the girls' presence.

* * *

"I haven't been to Era before," Sorano murmured as the van rolled into the semi-large town.

"Cherry blossom capital of Fiore," Virgo smiled, gesturing to the multiple trees around them, "I lived here when I was a kid."

"Also the home of the Angel Council," Minerva put in, "This is where Angels convene to discuss how to handle Earthland crises."

"But we've not been sent here before," Ezel stated, perplexed.

Minerva shook her head, "Not you...but Erik comes frequently. Jellal sometimes too."

"So there should be an abundance of Angels here," Juvia commented, "Maybe we can commission them to help us find Larcade and Wendy."

Natsu slowed the van down, scanning the streets, "We might be hard-pressed to find _anyone_ in this city."

It was true. The streets were vacant.

"How odd," Minerva commented, "Am I the only one who finds this unnerving?"

"Nope," Gray shook his head, "A city of this size should not be...empty."

Natsu pulled the van into a shopping mall, the crew disembarking cautiously. There were cars all over the lot, but no people, no Angels.

"Not even signs of Angels," Sorano said, surveying the area, "Could they be _concealed?"_

"That's possible," Minerva stated, "Generally Angels don't _conceal_ unless they have to. _Concealment_ hides an Angel completely from every being unless you choose to appear to another Angel...but it takes a lot of discipline to hold it stable. Unless it's absolutely dire, generally, Angels choose to remain _transparent._..and there's definitely no _transparent_ Angels other than us in this parking lot."

They spread out, not leaving the area of the van, but each individual surveying their perspective direction. It was eery how still the town had become. Not even the cherry blossoms were moving with the slight wind.

"Does anybody else feel that?" Natsu asked, his fists balling.

Gray felt the hair on his neck prick, "I do."

"Worse," Sorano commented as the group gravitated together again, "I don't normally see Aura…"

"Dark Aura," Ezel growled, "It's thick here."

The Angels surrounded Virgo and Natsu, all watching the vast area suspiciously.

"We could get in the van and keep going," Juvia suggested, "Crocus is an hour away."

"We won't get through the city," Minerva stated, assuming a defensive stance.

"What gives you that idea?" Virgo asked, "We could try."

Natsu sniffed the air, his eyes flashing red as something flashed past him.

"Oh," Virgo whispered, "Shit."

* * *

Lark stooped to the ground, preparing to _unconceal_. The Angel sang to herself as she started walking toward the train station. If he didn't do it now, he would lose her in the thickening crowd.

He froze, feeling a hand on his back. He'd been so busy watching the Angel, he'd forgotten to keep his eye on his surroundings. Was it a trap? Had he unknowingly exposed himself?

"Lark!" Wendy greeted breathlessly, "The train is going to Crocus. It's a little closer to Magnolia than I'd like to go, but the city is large. It will be easy to hide."

Lark let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, turning to hug her, "You scared me."

Wendy frowned, "Scared you?"

Lark turned back to where the Angel was, his face falling as he realized she had disappeared.

"What is it?" Wendy asked, following his eyes.

"I saw an Angel," Lark murmured. Wendy's eyes widened as he pulled away, grabbing her hand, "C'mon. Maybe we can still catch her!"

They ran into the crowd, Lark scanning the area as he pulled Wendy behind him. There were a ton of people, but no Angels at all.

Lark slowed to a stop, slumping his shoulders.

"She's gone."

"Wait...are you sure she was an Angel?" Wendy asked.

"I'm sure," Lark stated, starting into the crowd. He turned in circles, looking for any sign of the black-haired beauty.

"Lark, are you sure?" Wendy cried out as he yanked her forward into a run.

"We have to hurry!" Lark insisted, "She was _just here!"_

"Lark!" Wendy exclaimed as he bumped into a nearby human, knocking her to the ground, "Lark, she's gone! STOP!"

Lark sighed, his shoulders slumping, "Sorry, Wendy. I just...got excited."

"I know," Wendy said softly, "Maybe if you've seen one, more are on the way. Let's get on the train, okay? Maybe she's boarding too."

Lark nodded solemnly, following her deeper into the crowd.

* * *

Corporals Mieske and Connor Dragneel edged themselves along the wall of the dark hallway, Ren taking up the rear as he watched the nurse's desk. It was awfully strange that the nurses hadn't made their rounds...nor did they check on any suspicious noises. It was like they were entranced, still discussing the lunch menu as they had been for the past half hour, even though the lunch lady had been and gone.

The boys were satisfied that all the officers had been evacuated. Hansuke, Toby and Yuka, having taken their last jaunt down to the lobby to send off the last of the officers, had joined their group. They needed to find Daisuke and Gildarts.

"You go, Connor," Hansuke urged, "Just approach the desk and look for something that could tell us where Gildarts is. Don't let them see you. We'll create a distraction."

Connor nodded, rolling behind a cart in the hallway. He peered over the top, staking out his plan in his mind.

"We are so gonna get caught," Ren sighed.

"Whatever. We need to know where Gildarts is," Toby cringed at that thought, remembering the past when Gildarts had been the arresting officer during one of their petty thefts.

Yuka was thinking the same thing, Toby surmised, judging by the solemn look on his face, "Just get ready to make the distraction."

All the boys cocked their Nerf guns.

Connor raced to the next cart, nodding to the boys that he was now close enough to get to the desk if he had a clear run at it. They could commence the distraction when they were ready.

"Nothing like point-blank confrontation," Mieske declared, stepping out into the hallway. He started firing his bullets, one of the foam pieces hitting Daphne in the head.

The other boys followed suit, watching as Connor made his move to the next closest doorway.

Daphne readjusted her bangs, oblivious to the bright green dart lying on the floor in front of her.

The nurses didn't move. In fact, they turned the other way.

Connor stood straight up, looking back at the confused boys with a shrug.

Turning back to his task at hand, he tiptoed toward the desk, watching each nurse carefully as they went about their business. It was like they couldn't even see Connor approaching...and he was right in front of them.

Connor scanned the desk, looking for anything that would tell him where Gildarts was. He grinned, coming across the medication orders, where Gildarts' room number was in big bold letters….right next to Daisuke's room.

He motioned to the other boys that they had to cross the hallway.

"So weird," Haru shook his head as the entire group passed right by the nurses. The nurses effectively turned in the opposite direction as each kid passed.

Literally the moment the entire group of 6 boys passed the nursing station, Mieske's cell went off, indicating a call from the girls.

" _We've found Daisuke!"_ Sora's voice informed them over their cell intercoms, " _He's heavily sedated. Aki is taking out his IV now."_

"Gildarts is in the room next to his," Mieske reported, "We're on our way now."

Squeals erupted into the phone, forcing him to push it away from his ear.

" _Sorry!"_ Aki's voice exclaimed, " _I've never taken an IV out before!"_

" _There's blood everywhere,"_ Brielle exclaimed, " _He'd better not bleed out, Aki, or I'll be really mad at you!"_

" _Quick - put pressure on it!"_ Aimi demanded.

There was a bunch of scuffling, Aki sighed audibly.

"Good work," Haru told them once the disgruntled sounds stopped, presumably indicating Aki got the bleeding under control, "We're on our way."

" _Acknowledged,"_ Sora replied, " _But could you send a couple guys here to help us move Daisuke to the wheelchair? He's dead-weight."_

"Sure. We'll be right there," Yuka told her.

* * *

" _What do you mean they're gone_?!" Cana thundered into the cell phone, " _How do a dozen kids get past an Angel compound?"_

Lucy was rushing through the house, checking each room for the missing kids, "They can't be far, Cana! They know they're not supposed to leave the house!"

"And yet - they're not here!" Mira cried out, slamming Aki's bedroom door as she rushed to the next.

Layla sighed, a little miffed that Lucy had insisted so strongly that she would go to the attic with Layla to check on the kids. The gig was up. The kids - and Makarov and Layla - were busted. Nothing left to do now but tell the truth. Makarov had been expecting this, but he had asked Layla to buy them enough time for the mission to be completed. She hoped they'd succeeded.

"It's okay," Layla said calmly, halting the panicking Intelligence Team, "They'll be back soon."

"Mama?" Lucy asked, her voice quivering.

"Where are they?" Levy demanded, her small body shaking with anxiety.

"They had a special mission," Layla told them, "But you don't need to worry. Master Makarov himself is overseeing it."

"Mavis," Levy cried out, "Laki...she said the hospitalized policemen were reporting to duty at the station. She's gone to get Daisuke."

"They didn't!" Lucy fumed, grabbing her purse. She stared at her mother, noting the calmness in her eyes as she didn't deny what Lucy suspected. Lucy stormed for the door, slamming it against the cupboard as she headed for her car.

Levy grabbed her purse too, rushing after Lucy as their Angelic companions exchanged glances, then hurried to catch up. Lisanna exchanged glances with Layla, calmed by the smile on her lips.

"They did, didn't they?" Lisanna asked, feeling pride in her honourary nieces' and nephews' brave gesture.

Layla nodded, taking Lisanna's arm as they hurried to catch up to the Intelligence Team, "Yeah...they did."

* * *

"Wherever Lark and Wendy went," Cana said, plopping herself down at the picnic table. Her mind was racing, worried about the boys no one else cared about. She needed a distraction, "They didn't come through this town. My guess is they hopped a non-stop train to the coast."

"The coast?" Lyon asked, "Why would they go there?"

"Because they could get on a boat if they had to," Romeo suggested, toying with the fries in front of him, "They're in hiding. And they need every escape route possible."

Jellal eyed Romeo as the conversation diverted to the next town the group should travel to.

"Is something bothering you, Romeo?" Jellal asked, taking a seat beside him.

Romeo feigned looking surprised, "Not at all...just worried about Lark."

"And that's all?" Jellal asked.

Romeo tossed his fries in a nearby garbage can, "That's an odd question considering the team hasn't talked to me all day."

"How did you think they'd react?" Jellal queried, "Natsu has been a part of Magnolia for a long time. Nobody wants to believe he's capable of consorting with demons."

"Well, you would know," Romeo said, his voice quiet, "After all, you knew him when he was an Angel, didn't you? Maybe you knew him as a demon too."

Romeo got up from the picnic table, storming away toward the bathroom, leaving Jellal in stunned contemplation.

* * *

Wendy and Lark boarded the train using _transport._ They waited for the humans to settle in their seats before choosing their seats, staying as far from the other passengers as they could.

"Crocus is a beautiful city," Wendy said cheerfully, "I'm excited to see it again!"

"I went there once for Aki's dance recital when we were little," Lark told her, relaxing into the seat. He reached for her, drawing her into his side, "Natsu hated the city though. We never went back."

"Why do you call him Natsu, Lark?" Wendy asked, her hand finding his.

Lark had a momentary sense of deja-vu. They'd definitely had this conversation before at some point. Lark had resolved afterward that he would do better to respect Natsu as his father. He had always been there. He deserved that respect.

"You're right," Lark conceded, altering his speech pattern, "My Dad...he hated the city. More specifically, he hates elevators. Lucy - Mom - always makes sure when we go somewhere, we stay on the ground level."

"What's your favourite memory?" Wendy asked.

Lark snorted, "I've never thought about it before. With 2 parents and 7 siblings, things rarely stay quiet for me long enough to choose."

Wendy gazed intently at him, smoothing his blonde bangs out of his eyes, gently urging him to think about it now.

"Christmas morning," Lark said softly, "I was 13...and I got the flu really badly. I don't know if I've ever been so sick. It was really...gross and the only thing I could do was go to bed. I think I slept for 3 days straight."

Wendy ran her fingers over his lap, encouraging him to continue.

"When I finally got well enough to go out to the living room," Lark sighed, "I discovered that nobody had opened their presents. Not even one. The tree was still done up perfectly. Mom made a turkey. They'd waited for me for _three days_. I don't remember another Christmas being more perfect. We opened presents and played games in the living room...and then - because my stomach wouldn't handle a turkey dinner - we all ate broth for supper, then slept in the living room that night. Together."

"It sounds like your family loves you very much," Wendy commented, wishing she had memories from her youth like this to share.

Their fingers were intertwined again, Lark's thumb stroking her palm. It surprised him a little that telling her his favourite memory didn't upset him at all. It made him feel closer to her. He didn't know how she'd done it, but some of his inner turmoil had begun to settle.

His lips brushed against hers gently, "Wendy, you're amazing. You know that, right?"

She smiled, adjusting her position so that they could comfortably cuddle but still share soft, gentle kisses.

* * *

" _Open your eyes, Daisuke...come back to me."_

The voice was so distant. At first, he was only vaguely aware of his surroundings, the feeling of a hand on his. He wasn't sure where he was or even _who_ he was.

The voices were getting louder. There was more than one. He heard his name...Daisuke. Yes...that's it…he was Daisuke.

" _Why won't his eyes open?"_ someone panicked.

" _Way to go...you killed him when you took the IV out,"_ someone else drawled dramatically.

" _I didn't kill him!"_ the first voice hissed, " _Make yourself useful...start working on the leg straps. I've almost got this hand undone. We don't have a lot of time."_

Daisuke knew that voice. Female. It was a female voice...and he knew it well. He loved that voice. He tried to open his eyes. They were so heavy.

" _You might have killed him,"_ the other voice stated, " _He doesn't look so good."_

Also female. Younger.

" _He's not dead. Grab his other arm. Maybe if you stop complaining, we can get the hell outta here!"_

A second female...different from the first...but he knew her too.

" _And that goes for you too, Daisuke Cheney,"_ she continued _, "Quit being dead weight and open your damned eyes. It's just like you to sleep through your own rescue operation."_

Daisuke felt the corners of his mouth tug upward in a voluntary smile. He knew _exactly_ who that voice belonged to...only Sora Redfox would tell off an injured, unconscious person. He forced his eyes to flutter open, waiting for his blurry vision to clear so he could take in the welcomed sight of the people he loved most in the world.

"Daisuke!" Aki cried out, throwing herself onto his left side.

He groaned, feeling the telltale impact of Sora thudding into his right side...and Megumi launching herself onto his torso. He wasn't sure how Aimi, Saichi, and Brielle had managed to get in on the hug too, but Daisuke had never felt so lucky!

"Hey guys," he said weakly.

Toby and Yuka nodded solemnly to him as they entered the room, immediately going to work on the straps that still bound Daisuke's feet.

"Happy Birthday, Daisuke," Aki whispered, tears edging her eyes.

"Best birthday ever," he murmured, reaching for her.

Daisuke stroked her cheek with one hand, then pulled her into a deep kiss, shocking the other kids to silence.

Sora's mouth dropped.

Saichi snickered.

Aimi covered Brielle and Megumi's eyes.

"Hey Cheney," Yuka teased, "Looks like you lost too much blood. You _do_ know that's Dragneel's sister, right?"

"He's gonna kill ya," Toby sing-songed.

"He can kill me tomorrow," Daisuke laughed.

The girls removed themselves from his arms, helping to brace him as Daisuke sat up in bed. He needed the support. He was still weak from being restrained and sedated.

Toby and Yuka took over, carefully helping Daisuke into the wheelchair waiting beside the bed.

"Today," Daisuke sighed, squeezing Aki's hand as Toby began to push him out of the room, "I just wanna go home."

Hansuke, Mieske, and Connor were just pulling Gildarts out of the room next door, Gildarts loudly protesting that he could walk. Both wheelchairs halted in the hallway, Gildarts and Daisuke exchanging grins…

"Hey kid," Gildarts greeted, patting Daisuke on the shoulder, "You did great."

Daisuke nodded to him, a moment of solidarity passing between them.

Makarov greeted his team as they passed through the door, waiting for them all to be safely through.

"Just a second," Connor said brightly, whirling on his heel before anyone could stop him.

He faced the nurse's desk, knowing they would all turn their backs on him, then released an almighty war-cry as he discharged all the bullets in Big Happy's chambers, directly into Daphne's oblivious butt.

Makarov chuckled, ushering Connor through the door, then finally released his spell as he casually joined the waiting kids in the elevator.

"Finally," Gildarts murmured, "Let's get the FUCK out of here."

Daisuke grinned, feeling Aki squeeze his shoulder supportively, "That sounds pretty damned good to me."

The demon nurses blinked, slowly coming to their senses...and utterly confused by the completely vacant ward...and the 3 dozen Nerf bullets strewn at Daphne's feet.

* * *

Natsu stared at the parking lot, picking out the flitting objects darting between cars, effectively caging in the Angel group.

"What do we do?" Sorano asked Minerva nervously.

Minerva bit her lower lip, considering their options. She didn't think they could outrun the demons. So far, none of the flitting shadows had stopped, but there was no doubt they were being boxed in.

"Keep an eye on her," Minerva murmured to Ezel and Sorano, pushing Virgo toward them.

"What about Natsu?" Juvia asked as Gray moved to stand protectively in front of him.

Natsu's chest was heaving as he tried to identify the demons circling them. He'd seen some of them before, he was sure of it. His eyes flashed red.

"He's not going to need protection," Minerva surmised, "I have a feeling he can defend himself just fine."

Natsu growled. He stepped forward, aligning himself at Gray's side.

The group could hear unintelligible whispers as the beings passed them, progressively getting louder.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" Natsu yelled, "If you want to fight me, then come and get me!"

Juvia stiffened, feeling a presence rush straight past her. Her eyes widened and she spun around so that she was back to back with Gray, hands up and ready to call on the water living in her fingertips.

The whooshing whispers stopped, the small Angel group was trapped in the centre of 12 angry demons. Now Natsu knew for sure he'd seen some of the faces before. It was the same group that had cornered him at the motel.

Gray let out a low growl, noting all the Angels had assumed their defensive stances.

"Nothing has to happen here tonight," a familiar voice called out, "As long as Natsu voluntarily comes with us, there doesn't need to be a confrontation. We have no interest in the rest of you."

Flare stepped out from behind one of the parked cars nearby, wavering slightly on her feet as she approached.

"Where are the townspeople?" Minerva spat, "What did you do with them?"

"They were in the way," Flare stood toe to toe with her, the two powerful women staring each other down, "We did them a favour. That was merciful compared to what will happen to the rest of Earthland once our master joins us."

"You killed the whole town?" Sorano cried out in horror.

Flare waved a hand, a mocking grin etched on her face, "Oh please. Humans are nothing but bugs to be stepped on."

"BITCH!" Virgo screamed, lurching forward.

Ezel and Juvia restrained her by her arms. Virgo was the only human on their team. If she persisted, she would be squashed like a bug too.

"Shall we go?" Flare asked Natsu cheerfully, offering her arm for him to take.

"You're not taking him anywhere!" Gray hissed, pushing the male demon in front of him backward with ice coating his hands. Byro, if Gray remembered his name right.

Natsu stilled Gray with one arm, shaking his head, "They're right, Gray. You should all get out of here."

"You're _not_ going with them!" Juvia cried out, alarm in her voice.

"Natsu!" Minerva echoed Juvia's panic, "You can't go with them."

Natsu stepped forward, his eyes turning onyx and then flaming red.

"Relax," Natsu turned, allowing the Angels to see the smirk smoldering in his eyes as he faced his opponents, his hands bursting into flame, "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

 _ **A/N: I hope that was as fun to read as it was to write! Please let me know!**_

 _ **I'm going to take a little break from Oops 2. As you all know, I'm in the process of retiring. I have 2 major stories on the go, and 2 mini-stories to finish (Dating Oops and Buck-A-Suck). I'm going to focus on Before I Get Gray, because I think I can finish it in 5 or 6 chapters, finish the mini-stories, and then all my attention will be focused on getting this story done. I'm hoping to wrap everything up by the end of the summer.**_

 _ **Love you all! Please leave a comment!**_


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